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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

BUREAU OF FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC COMMERCE 

A. H. BALDWIN, Chief 


SPECIAL AGENTS SERIES-No. 86 




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COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN 


AND 


THEIR COMPETITION ON THE 
MANCHURIAN MARKET 


By 


W. A. GRAHAM CLARK 

Commercial Agent of the Department of Commerce 





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WASHINGTON 

.GOVERNMENT. PRINTING OFFICE 
^ i 1914 




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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

BUREAU OF FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC COMMERC'E 
A. H. BALDWIN, Chief 


SPECIAL AGENTS SERIES—No. 86 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN 


AND 

THEIR COMPETITION ON THE 
MANCHURIAN MARKET 

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By 

W. A. GRAHAM CLARK 

k 

Commercial Agent of the Department of Commerce 



WASHINGTON 

^GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 
1914 


I 













CURRENCY, WEIGHTS, AND MEASURES. 

Yen=100 seii=$0.498. The value of the yen prior to 1897, .when the gold stand¬ 
ard was adopted, is given on page 11. 

Rupee (Indian)=$0.3244^. 

Tael (Chinese) fluctuates in value. Rates of exchange between Japan and 
Shanghai from 1899 to 1913 are given on page 109. 

Momme=0.008267 pound. 

Kin=160 momme=l.32277 pounds. 

Kwan=l,000 momme=8.267 pounds. 

Picul (Japanese)=100 kin=132.277 pounds. 

Picul (Chinese)=133^ pounds. 

Shaku (ordinary measure)=10 8un=11.9305 inches. 

Shaku (cloth measure)=10 sun=14.913 inches. 

Tsubo=3.9538 square yards. 

Cho=3,000 tsubo=2.4507 acres. 

Koku=5.119 bushels. 

Foot (Chinese, big)=21.3 inches. 

Foot (Chinese, small)=14.4 inches. 

2 


0. OF n. 

SEP i '914 


Page. 




CONTENTS. 


Page. 


Letter of submittal. 5 

Importation and consumption of 
raw cotton: 

General conditions. 7 

Japanese cotton. 12 

Chinese cotton. 14 

Indian cotton. 17 

American cotton. 19 

Egyptian cotton... 23 

Other cotton. 24 

Method of purchasing. 25 

Method of mixing. 26 

Mill consumption. 27 

Facilities for handling cotton at 

Kobe. 33 

Transport of Indian cotton. 34 

Development of cotton manufac¬ 
turing: 

Chronological summary. 40 

Early history. 41 

Development in later years. 43 

Chief factors affecting develop¬ 
ment. 53 

Present status of companies. 54 

Location of mills. 55 

Principal mills. 56 

Japan Cotton Spinners’ Associa¬ 
tion . 58 

Production and consumption of 
yarn: 

Chronological summary. 65 

Hand manufacture. 65 

Machine manufacture. 67 

Cotton consumption and yarn 

production. 76 

Prices and market quotations... 77 

Importation of yarn. 84 

Exportation of yarn: 

Chronological summary. 87 

Promotion of export trade. 88 

Distribution of exports. 103 

Prices and marketing methods.. 108 

Trade in thread, wadding, and 
waste: 

Thread imports. 110 

Thread exports. Ill 

Exports of cotton wadding. 112 

Trade in cotton waste. 112' 


Production and exportation of 


cloth: 

General conditions. 114 

History of weaving industry.... 118 
Development of foreign trade... 131 

Present status of industry. 140 

Trade methods. 145 

Analysis of principal mill cloths. 146 

Weekly cloth quotations. 155 

Osaka cloth market... 158 

Hand-loom cloths. 160 

Importation of cloth. 164 

Japanese customs duties. 169 

Knit-goods industry. 173 

Resume of cotton-goods trade. 179 

Textile fabric law of Japan. 181 

Textile fabric tax law. 181 

Regulations for execution of tex¬ 
tile fabric tax law. 183 

Operatives and wages: 

Wages and production in spin¬ 
ning mills. 186 

Wages and production in weav¬ 
ing mills. 192 

Working hours. 195 

Operatives. 197 

Housing conditions. 200 

Savings and guaranty money.... 203 

Bonuses and fines. 203 

Welfare work. 204 

Factory legislation. 207 

Capitalization and profits of mills: 

Cost of mills and equipment.... 212 

Cost of cotton. 214 

Taxes and interest. 214 

Financial record.. 215 

Dividends. 221 

Stock quotations. 224 

Manchurian market: 

Introduction. 226 

South Manchuria Railway Co... 231 

Newchwang. 238 

Dairen. 249 

Mukden. 257 

Changchun. 263 

Kirin. 268 

Manchurian cotton mills. 274 

List of samples. 279 


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LETTER OF SUBMITTAL. 


Department of Commerce, 

Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, 

Washington, July 15, 1914. 

Sir: There is submitted herewith a report by Commercial Agent 
W. A. Graham Clark on the cotton-goods industry and trade of 
Japan, in which he reviews the history of the industry and trade 
from the establishment of the first spinning mill to the present 
time and analyzes the factors that have made the Japanese success¬ 
ful competitors of American manufacturers, particularly in China. 
Special attention is given to the methods employed by the Japanese 
to find a foreign market for their goods and to wages, cost of pro¬ 
duction, factory legislation, and the capitalization and profits of 
mills. A separate chapter is devoted to the Manchurian market, 
in which the Japanese have been especially successful. 

Respectfully, A. H. Baldwin, 

Chief of Bureau. 

To Hon. William C. Redfield, 

Secretary of Commerce. 


6 





COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN AND THEIR COM¬ 
PETITION ON THE MANCHURIAN MARKET. 


IMPORTATION AND CONSUMPTION OF RAW COTTON. 

GENERAL CONDITIONS. 

Raw cotton is by far the most important article in the import 
trade of Japan. For the 10 years 1901 to 1910, inclusive, the total 
imports into Japan amounted to $1,948,436,825, and of this raw 
cotton accounted for $473,142,906, or 24.28 per cent. Of total 
imports in 1911, amounting to $255,875,241, raw cotton accounted 
for $73,097,741, or 28.57 per cent; while of the $308,258,154 im¬ 
ports in 1912 raw cotton accounted for $100,010,453, or 32.44 per 
cent. The import trade of Japan is rapidly increasing, but the raw- 
cotton imports have been increasing still faster, and they tend to form 
a still larger proportion of the total. 

In number of cotton-spinning spindles Japan ranks ninth among 
the nations of the world, being surpassed by the United Kingdom, 
the United States, Germany, Russia, France, India, Austria-Hungary, 
and Italy. In the total consumption of cotton, however, Ja])an ranks 
sixth, being surpassed only by the United States, the United Kingdom, 
Germany, India, and Russia, in the order named. In the amount of 
cotton consumed per spindle per year Japan ranks first, with India a 
poor second. In Japan the spindles are nearly aU ring spindles 
working on coarse counts, and they are operated day and night; 
hence more cotton is required per spindle than in other countries. 
Japan is the only country that makes a regular practice of running 
its cotton mills day and night. 

AVERAGE CONSUMPTION PER SPINDLE. 

The Japan Cotton Spinners’ Association reports showed 2,099,764 
spindles at the end of 1910, and 2,170,796 at the end of 1911; they 
also showed the actual consumption of raw cotton by the mills 
during 1911 to have been 64,704,579 kwan, which is equivalent to 
534,912,755 pounds. The daily average number of spindles in opera¬ 
tion in 1911, as ascertained by the Japanese Government, was 
1,901,290. Dividing the total cotton consumed by the average 
spindles in operation, which is preferable to using the total spindles 
listed at the end of the year, gives the actual consumption per 
working spindle in Japan in 1911 as 281 pounds. The amount 
varies, but it averages over half a bale of cotton per year per spindle, 
while the consumption in British India, which comes next, averages 
only about a quarter of a bale per spindle annually; the difference 
between the two is due mainly to the number of hours worked. 
The minimum amount of cotton required per spindle is reached in 
England, with some 45 pounds per year, and in Switzerland, with 
some 38 pounds. These countries not only work shorter hours on 
much finer yarns, but most of their yarns are spun on the slower- 
producing mule spindle. Japan has less than a third the number of 

7 



8 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


spindles there are in France, yet it consumes a larger amount of raw 
cotton. 

The great bulk of th-3 cotton imported into Japan is ginned, but a 
small amount is imported in the seed from French Indo-China, the 
Dutch East Indies, Siam, and China. The seed from foreign, Korean, 
and Japanese cotton ginned in Japan is used in local oil mills. 
Osaka is the principal center of this industry, and the oil mills, though 
small, are increasing. Besides the seed from cotton ginned in 
Chosen, they are importing larger amounts of cotton seed from 
China. 

SOURCE OF IMPORTS. 

The imports into Japan of ginned and unginned cotton during the 
calendar year 1912, according to official import statistics, were as 
follows: 


Countries. 

Unginned cotton. 

Ginned cotton. 


Quantity. 

Value. 

Quantity. 

Value. 

British India. 

Kin. 

108,600 

Yen. 

5,432 

Kin. 

319,813,800 
187,223,700 

Yen. 

108,667,807 
64,601,154 

United States. 



China. 

1,604,900 

120,575 

64,159,500 

18; 768; 185 

Egypt... 



ll', 595' 100 

5 ; 935 ; 823 

French Indo-China. 

13,740,900 
3,305,800 

1,294,746 
220,775 

i, 706; 400 
62,200 

' 476; 170 

Dutch Indies. 

11 ; 759 

Kwantung Province. 


* 952,700 

285; 298 

Straits Settlements. 

2,532,000 
356,100 

216,607 

168;300 

55 ; 080 

Siam.:. 

27'890 

104; 400 

21,467 
112,000 

All other countries. 

28'600 

3'436 

2io;ooo 






Total. 

21,676,900 

1,889,461 

585,996,100 

198,934,743 





COMPARATIVE VALUE OF DIFFERENT COTTONS. 

Three pounds of seed cotton ordinarily yield 1 pound of lint; hence, 
by dividing the weight of the imports of cotton in the seed by 3 and 
adding to the quotient the weight of the ginned cotton imported, one 
obtains the actual amount of lint. In the following table this has 
been done and the weight in kin converted to pounds. The seed 
ordinarily pays for the cost of ginning, so the sum of the values of the 
unginned and the ginned cotton may be taken as the total value of the 
equivalent lint. The weight of the lint, the value, and the average 
price per pound of aU cotton imported into Japan in 1912 were, 
therefore, as follows: 


Countries. 

Quantity. 

Value. 

Pounds. 

Bales of 500 
pounds. 

Total. 

Per pound. 

British India. 

423,087,985 
247,653,894 
85,575,899 
15,337,650 
8,315,858 
1,539,880 
1,260,203 
1,339,040 
295,110 
290,393 

846,176 
495,308 
171,152 
30,675 
16,632 
3,080 
2,520 
2,678 
590 
581 

$54,119,273 
32,171,375 
9,406,002 
2,956,040 
881,916 
115,802 
142,078 
135,300 
24,580 
57,487 

Cents. 

12.79 

12.99 

10.99 

19.27 
10.59 

l.b2 

11.27 
10.14 

8.33 
19. 79 

United States. 

China. 

Egypt. 

French Indo-China. 

Dutch Indies. 

Kwantung Province. 

Straits Settlements. 

Siam. 

All other countries. 

Total. 

784,695,912 

1,569,392 

100,010,453 

12.75 





















































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


9 


The average value of the American cotton imported in 1912 was 
only two-tenths of 1 cent per pound above that of the Indian. Usu¬ 
ally the difference is much more; in 1911, for example, the American 
cotton averaged 15.25, the Indian 13.8, and the Chinese 11.5 cents 
per pound; in 1910 the American averaged 14.55, the Indian 12.3, 
and the Chinese 11.37 cents. The record amount taken from the 
United States in 1912 was due to the low price for American cotton, 
which dropped with the bumper crop of 1911 until the usual propor¬ 
tion between it and the price for Indian was lost. 

STATISTICAL RECORD OF IMPORTS. 

The year 1912 marks the record as to both total weight and value 
for cotton imported into Japan. The table following shows the im¬ 
ports of raw cotton, ginned and unginned, for the years 1880 to 1912, 
inclusive, according to official Japanese statistics: 


10 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


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Includes other East Indies prior to 1889. 


















































































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


11 


CHANGES IN SOURCE OF COTTON SUPPLY. 

The first three cotton mills in Japan, which commenced opera¬ 
tions in 1866, 1871, and 1872, respectively, started working with 
local cotton, but in the seventies they began to import small amounts 
from China and Korea. The first importation from India was in 
1884, and the first ]>urchase of American cotton consisted of a sample 
bale of 415 kin (549 pounds) imported in 1886. From the beginning 
of the import trade up to 1896 Chinese cotton predohiinated, but 
since then India has furnished the largest proportion of the imports, 
with the exception of the years 1900 and 1904, when, for causes 
hereinafter explained, the importation of Indian cotton was tem¬ 
porarily curtailed. Imports of American cotton increased steadily 
up to and including 1900, but a sharp increase in price that year 
caused a drop in the imports in 1901. Since then purchases of Amer¬ 
ican cotton have fluctuated largely, according to the price at which 
it was offered in competition with Indian. The imports and con¬ 
sumption of raw cotton in 1912 reached the highest figures ever 
attained, favorable prices causing the purchases of American as 
well as Indian cotton to break the record, and the imports of American 
fiber were double those of the preceding year. Owing to internal 
troubles in China and other causes Chinese cotton did not share in 
this increase in demand. 

On July 1, 1894, the export duty on cotton yarn was removed and 
in 1896 the import duty of 5 per cent on raw cotton was taken off. 
These two incidents were of great importance, as they aided the 
export trade in yarn and enabled the mills to get their raw material 
cheaper, thus increasing the imports of cotton and the general pros¬ 
perity of the industry. The effect of booms, periods of depression, 
changes in the monetary standard, and the customs tariff on the 
import of raw cotton will be noted later. 

\ 

VALUE OF JAPANESE CURRENCY. 


Since 1897 Japanese money has been on a gold basis, with the yen 
stable at a value equivalent to $0,498 United States currency. Before 
that time the value of the yen fluctuated, the values being as follows: 


Years. 

Value. 

Years. 

Value. 

Years. 

Value. 

1 SftS . 

$1. asi 
i.oa 

1.031 

1.031 
1.031 
1.012 
.997 
.969 
.908 
.937 

1878. 

30.900 

.876 

.893 

.888 

.887 

.876 

.869 

.858 

.810 

.784 

1888. 

$0. 753 
.734 
.874 
.777 
.685 
.610 
.496 
.513 
.527 

IRAQ . 

1879. 

1889. 

1870 

1880. 

1890. 

1871 . - 

1881. 

1891. 

1879 . - 

1882. 

1892. 

1879 

1883. 

1893. 

1874 

1884. 

1894. 

187*; 

1885. 

1895. 

1 Q7A 

1886. 

1896. 

1877 . 

1887. 





Using these figures as a basis for conversion, the imports of raw 
cotton into Japan in various years have had the following value: 
1880, $142,381; 1890, $4,689,144; 1900, $29,616,87^; 1910, 

$79,292,460; 1911, $73,097,741; 1912, $100,010,453. 

The total weight of ginned and unginned cotton increased from 
1,461,156 kin (1,932,773 pounds) in 1880 to 68,971,545 pounds in 1890 



















































12 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN 


and to 344,889,527 pounds in 1900; in 1910 it reached 655,194,304 
• pounds and in 1912 the record of 803,811,614 pounds. 

MINOR SOURCES OF SUPPLY. 

The following table shows the quantity and value of the imports 
of cotton into Japan from countries grouped in the table on page 10 
as ‘‘All other countries,’’ from 1900 to 1912: 


Years. 


1900 

1901 

1902 

1903 

1904 

1905 

1906 

1907 

1908 

1909 

1910 

1911 

1912 


Egypt. 


Quantity. 


Kin. 

4.488.900 
4,868,500 

6.834.100 

5.660.900 

5.349.100 

7.249.700 
4,023,300 
6,293,200 
9,738,400 

10,281,300 

7.421.700 
10,044,300 
11,595,100 


Value. 


Yen. 
1,466,622 
1,883,538 
2,414,011 
2,395,117 
2,470,591 
2,940,222 
1,645,098 
3,396,978 
5,004,459 
5,432,654 
4,143,388 
5,437,500 
5,935,823 


Straits Settlements. 


Quantity. 


Kin, 


216,000 

6,000 

3,002,200 

2.601.300 

2.945.100 

8.485.300 
8,823,600 

6.691.100 
7,530,700 
4,678,200 

2.700.300 


Value. 


Yen. 


14,716 
14,700 
222,427 
192,229 
258,003 
633,844 
588,065 
496,291 
1,165,949 
433,925 
271,687 


Dutch Indies. 


Quantity. 


Kin. 
128,900 
1,341,400 
255,100 

2.153.800 

2.244.800 
6,374,900 
9,047,800 
6,239,000 
6,354,500 

6.872.800 
3,466,100 
3,063,300 
3,368,000 


Value. 


Yen. 

7,905 
99,782 
25,995 
144,274 
160,130 
434,607 
632,091 
471,574 
471,325 
505,500 
243,124 
308,847 
232,534 


French Indo-China. 


Quantity. 


Kin. 

5,728,800 
4,073,900 
4,854,000 
8,034,400 
12,676,600 
11,098,200 
5,522,100 
5,762,200 
10,019,100 
6,350,900 
4,344,000 
4,789,400 
15,447,300 


Value. 


Yen. 
628,348 
629,987 
725,729 
1,100,192 
1,402,731 
1,345,065 
604,439 
875,830 
1,425,463 
906,278 
534,836 
622,559 
1,770,916 


Years. 

Siam. 

Korea. 

All others. 

Total. 

Quantity. 

Value. 

Quantity. 

Value. 

Quantity. 

Value. 

Quantity. 

Value. 


Kin. 

Yen. 

Kin. 

Yen. 

Kin. 

Yen. 

Kin. 

Yen. 

1900. 

598,000 

44,489 

5,500 

245 

6,100 

1,462 

10,956,200 

2,149,071 

1901. 

527,400 

46,460 

99,800 

4,650 

31,400 

7,178 

10,942,400 

2,671,595 

1902. 

310,400 

28,550 

1,268,100 

67,840 

222,200 

43,400 

13,960,900 

3,320,241 

1903. 

304,100 

29,319 

3,215,300 

175,522 

64,900 

3,184 

19,439,400 

3,862,308 

1904. 

467, 700 

41,723 

3,512,200 

229,260 

3,900 

2,095 

27,256,500 

4,528,957 

1905. 

315,000 

27,889 

1,381,700 

97,059 

8,400 

3,042 

29,029,200 

5; 040; 113 

1906. 

1,017,300 

76,580 

1,491,100 

116,141 

148,3oa 

55,270 

24,195,000 

3,387,622 

1907. 

806,900 

69,385 

839,800 

105,206 

782,500 

325,785 

29,208,900 

5,878,602 

1908. 

886,900 

75,821 

1,547,000 

247,993 

100 

4 

37,369,600 

7,813,130 

1909. 

1,094,000 

103,689 

2,743,000 

342,126 

27,700 

5,556 

34,060,800 

7; 792,094 

1910. 

588,200 

68,378 

3,729,600 

468,982 

99,600 

52,697 

27,179,900 

6,677,354 

1911. 

507,500 

58,504 



150,800 

78,031 

23 233 500 

6 939 366 

1912. 

460,500 

49,357 



1,191,300 

400,734 

34,762,500 

8,661,051 









In 1910 Korea was annexed to Japan and it is now officially desig¬ 
nated as Chosen. Imports from Chosen to the mainland of Japan 
were not included in the official totals for 1911 and 1912 and the 
items in the foregoing table were therefore left blank. Supplemen¬ 
tary statistics show that the imports of unginned cotton from Chosen 
into Japan in 1911 amounted to 344,200 kin, valued at 30,767 yen, 
and of ginned cotton, 1,208,400 kin, valued at 289,338 yen. In 1912 
the imports of unginned cotton from Chosen were 930,400 kin, valued 
at 86,412 yen, and of ginned cotton, 1,373,300 kin, valued at 
337,383 yen. 

JAPANESE COTTON. 

With the advent of better cotton from abroad the cultivation of 
cotton in Japan began to decline and to-day the home crop is negli¬ 
gible. This is shown by statistics of the Japanese Department of 
Agriculture and Commerce, which give the area in cho and the pro¬ 
duction in kwan of seed cotton. In the table following I have con- 



































































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


13 


verted these terms into acres and pounds, and then obtained the 
equivalent production of lint in bales of 500 pounds at the ratio of 
1 pound of lint from 3 pounds of seed cotton. 


Years. 

Area. 

Production of unginned 
cotton. 

Produc¬ 
tion of 
ginned 
cotton, 
in bales. 

Cho. 

Acres. 

Kwan. 

Pounds. 

1884. 

96,319 

235,982 

15,539,243 

128, 462,922 

85,642 

1887. 

98,479 

241,274 

22,388,590 

185,086,474 

123,391 

1892. 

71,432 

175,008 

12,584,822 

104,038,723 

69,359 

1894. 

60,564 

148,402 

12,572,971 

103,940,751 

69,177 

1895. 

55,541 

136,075 

10,488,569 

86,709,000 

57,806 

1896. 

51,043 

125,055 

7,422,061 

61,358,178 

40,905 

1897. 

44,444 

108,888 

7,304,253 

60,384,260 

40,256 

1898. 

40,288 

98,706 

7,280,530 

60,188,142 

40,125 

1899. 

33,773 

82,744 

5,231,955 

43,252,572 

28,835 

1900. 

28,262 

69,242 

4,894,322 

40,461,360 

26,974 

1901. 

24,121 

59,096 

4,468,581 

36,941, 759 

24,628 

1902. 

20,700 

50,715 

3,322,047 

27,463,363 

18,309 

1903. 

15,547 

38,090 

2,950,717 

24,393,577 

16,262 

1904. 

12,870 

31,532 

2,820,673 

23,318,504 

15,546 

1905. 

12,204 

29,900 

2,145,625 

17,737,882 

11,825 

1906. 

9,666 

23,682 

1,602,447 

13,247,429 

8,832 

1907. 

7,391 

18,108 

1,421,537 

11,751,846 

7,835 

1908. 

5,279 

12,934 

1,116,592 

9,230,866 

6,155 

1909. 

4,006 

9,815 

976,518 

8,072,854 

5,382 

1910. 

3,400 

8,330 

721,281 

5,962,830 

3,975 

1911. 

2,800 

6,860 

731,054 

6,043,623 

4,029 


PRESENT PRODUCTION SMALL. 

The area in cotton has decreased from 241,274 acres in 1887 to 
6,860 acres in 1911, while the production of 'lint has decreased from 
the maximum, so far as recorded, of 123,391 bales in 1887 to only 
4,029 bales in 1911. The home production of cotton was possibly 
larger in the past, as for centuries there has been a considerable 
amount of hand spinning and weaving of cotton in Japan, but there 
are no accurate records prior to 1884. 

Cotton growing was originally introduced into Japan from China. 
The local cotton is similar in its characteristics to Chinese, but usually 
it is slightly harsher, coarser, and shorter-stapled, and not fit for 
counts much above 12s. The first cotton mills in Japan used Japa¬ 
nese cotton, but, the quantity as well as the quality being deficient, 
the importation of foreign cotton was started and to-day practically 
no Japanese cotton is used by the mills. The few thousand bales 
raised are used locally; some is spun and woven by hand and some 
is used for wadding quilts, etc. 

The figures for 1887 show the largest areas under cotton in the Prov¬ 
inces of Aichi, Osaka, Ibaraki, Okayama, Hyogo, and Hiroshima, in 
the order stated. The 1911 figures show the largest cotton areas in 
Tottori, Niigata, Ibaraki, Hiroshima, Cliiba, Shimane, and Saga, in 
the order named. The 1911 figures show that cotton was raised in 
41 different Provinces, but some of these had less than a dozen acres 
to their credit, the total for the whole country being only 6,860 acres. 

LAND NEEDED FOR FOOD CROPS—EXPERIMENT WORK. 

The total area of Japan is small, and the area fit for cultivation is 
still smaller, so thaft the arable land is needed for rice and other crops 
to supply subsistence for the rapidly increasing millions. Even with 
cheap labor the cost of raising cotton in the small patches in which 






































14 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


land is cultivated in Japan is high and food crops pay better; hence 
there is no prospect of Japan ever raising its own supply, certainly not 
in Japan proper. 

In recent years the Japanese have been studying the possibilities 
of raising cotton in their possessions in Chosen and Formosa. In 
Chosen the local cotton was found to be harsh and unfit for use except 
on the coarsest work, so they have experimented with American 
Upland and have had some success, though .the production is still 
very small. The shorter growing season will probably result in a 
steady deterioration in staple unless the American seed is renewed 
every year. In Formosa the climate would seem to be better adapted 
to cotton, but sugar and other crops are usually considered to pay 
better, and little practical work is being done to establish cotton 
growing. 

CHINESE COTTON. 

When Japanese mills began to increase and local cotton no longer 
sufficed for their needs, China was naturally the first country to which 
they looked for a supply. The importation of Chinese cotton gradually 
increased from its beginning in the seventies up to 1890, when the 
severe trade depression under which Japanese mills were struggling 
for existence caused a sudden curtailment in imports. During the 
next five years the imports again increased steadily, but the price of 
the Chinese fiber was rising with the increasing demand from mills 
established in China; moreover, the Chinese cotton was badly ginned 
and heavily watered, besides being suitable for only low counts. 
Having established direct connections with India and having obtained 
lower freight rates, the Japanese soon turned to the better-grade 
Indian fiber, and from 1896 on they have relied chiefly upon Indian 
instead of Chinese cotton. Only once since, in 1904, has China ever 
led in the imports, and that was due to the excessively high price of 
American cotton, with a sympathetic rise in Indian, during the time 
of the Sully operations. In 1910, when American cotton again rose 
beyond a figure at which it could be imported profitably, while the 
Chinese was reasonable in price, there was a large increase in the 
imports from China, but imports from India also increased. The 
purchases of both were larger than the actual requirements, and 
imports decreased the next year, while in 1912 the receipts of Chinese 
cotton were still smaller. Though the disturbed conditions in China 
following the change in government have had much to do with the 
smaller amount of Chinese cotton used, the Japanese mills are making 
yarns of better grade as well as the higher counts, and with the in¬ 
creased consumption in Chinese mills it is probable that the amount 
of Chinese cotton used in Japan will continue to decrease. Part of 
the Chinese cotton now imported is used for wadding and in home 
work outside the mills. 

EFFECT OF CHINESE PRACTICE OF WATERING COTTON. 

One factor that led the Japanese to curtail their use of Chinese 
cotton, aside from the fact that it is fit for only the lower grades of 
yarns, was the extent to which it was watered. By 1890 the mills 
had suffered so much by reason of the loss in weight and quality due 
to the practice of adding fictitious weight by pouring hot water over 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


15 


the cotton that the spinners’ association appointed a special com¬ 
mittee to seek a remedy for the trouble, but they obtained no satis¬ 
faction. The practice grew in spite of protests and reached a max¬ 
imum in 1895, when it was found that the cotton had been heavily 
watered to compensate the Chinese shippers for the rise in price that 
had taken place after the Japanese had placed their contracts during 
July and August at low prices. Pressure was brought to bear on the 
taotai at Shanghai and he used his official efforts to stop the practice. 
Further, the Japan Cotton Spinners’ Association took drastic steps 
to stop their losses. They decided that from August 1, 1896, they 
would buy from no' dealer who had not been approved and accepted 
as an associate member of the association. Further, they established 
at the cotton ports testing houses and refused to buy any Chinese 
cotton until a certain percentage of each lot had been tested for 
moisture and either marked as passed or an appropriate allowance 
made for the excess moisture contained. As a result the practice of 
watering was lessened, but in the meantime the mills had found 
Indian cotton better suited to their general needs, and the use of 
Chinese cotton tended gradually to decline. 


EXPORTS FROM CHINA TO JAPAN. 


According to statistics of the Imperial Maritime Customs of China, 
the total exports of raw cotton from China in the last few years have 
been as follows: 


Years. 

Quantity. 

Value. 

Piculs. 

Pounds. 

Haikwan 

taels. 

United 

States 

currency. 

1907.. 

988,055 
613,509 
633,687 
1,247,304 
877,744 
805,711 

131,740,666 
81,801,200 
84,491,600 
164,973,867 
117,032,533 
107,428,133 

16,959,737 

10,345,205 

14,452,021 

28,141,234 

21,404,115 

17,021,093 

$13,398,191 
6,724,383 
9,104,773 
18,573,214 
13,912,675 
12,595,609 

1908. 

1909... 

1910. 

1911. 

1912. 



The Chinese picul is 133J pounds, while, according to the Chinese 
customs, the Haikwan tael in these six years has been equal to 79, 
65, 63, 66, 65, and 74 cents, respectively. 

Excepting comparatively small shipments to Hongkong and vari¬ 
ous foreign countries, the great bulk of the Chinese cotton exported 
goes to Japan, and the fluctuations in the exports are governed largely 
by the amount of Chinese cotton required by that country. 


CHARACTERISTICS OF CHINESE COTTON. 

Cotton is grown more or less all over China, but most of it is pro¬ 
duced in the Provinces drained by the Yangtze, especially in Che¬ 
kiang, Kiangsu, Hupeh, and Honan. In recent years there has been 
a considerable increase of the small acreage in the north, in the adjoin¬ 
ing sections of Shantung and Chihli Provinces; exports from this sec¬ 
tion go through Tientsin, and most of the cotton is unginned. In 
China cotton is grown mainly in small patches scattered over large 






















16 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


areas devoted to rice and other food crops, and there are no accu¬ 
rate statistics as to production. 

Chinese cotton is white but harsh and mostly f to | inch staple; 
but the staple and quahty vary considerably in different sections. 
Some of the best, especially now that an increasing amount is being 
raised from American seed, is long enough to mix with American 
Upland. In Japan the ordinary Chinese cotton is not considered fit 
for counts above 18s, while Broach and other Indian cottons can be 
used up to 30s; however, the Chinese is usually much lower in price. 
Most of the Chinese cotton imported is used to mix with Indian for 
very coarse counts; the better grade is used to fnix with American 
as well as Indian for somewhat higher counts. 

■ The Japanese designate the principal qualities of Chinese cotton as 
follows: (1) Tungchow, (2) Peishi, (3) Nansi, (4) Hankow, (5) Tien¬ 
tsin. The Tungchow is the best and is stated to equal the Indian 
Tinnevelly. Peishi means north markeU’ and refers to cotton 
bought at the cotton market lying within the foreign concession at 
Shanghai, while Nansi refers to cotton bought at the native market 
outside the concession. The north market is controlled chiefly by 
foreign shippem and quotations are in Mexican dollars. The south 
market is more in the hands of the natives, quotations usually being 
in copper cash, and the cotton handled in this way by the natives 
brings a lower price, as it is usually of the lower grades and is ginned 
in more primitive fashion. 

Shanghai is the great market for Chinese cotton, and most of that 
bought hy Japan is shipped from this port; smaller amounts also go 
direct from Hankow and Tientsin. On the slow cargo boats cotton 
usually requires three or four days between Shanghai and Kobe, and 
the freight rate (November, 1913) averages about 40 sen per picul, 
say, $3.34 per long ton, but the rate varies according to the demand 
and supply for cargo space. 

In the Yangtze section picking starts in September and most of 
the exports arrive in Japan during the last half of the year, chiefly 
in November and December. American and Indian cotton arrives 
in the first half of the year. 

PACKING METHODS—CHIEF JAPANESE IMPORTERS. 

The Japan Cotton Merchants’ Union circulars fist four sizes of Chi¬ 
nese cotton bales imported into Japan, viz, pressed, large, medium, 
and small. 

The pressed bales are excellently packed and weigh uniformly 3 
piculs, or 400 pounds', each and measure about 30 by 24 by 20 inches. 
They are completely covered with a good grade of burlap weighing 
some 7 ounces to the yard, and one steel tie is wrapped around the 
bale twelve times and the end tucked under. These bales are of the 
same weight as the Indian, but are smaller and more nearly square 
in shape. 

The large bales are covered with coarse cotton cloth sewn together 
at the ends and sides. The bale is not compressed but forms a rather 
loose package some 5 feet long, 30 inches wide, and 24 inches thick, 
tied lengthwise and crosswise with roughly twisted cordage. They 
usually weigh about 240 pounds. 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN, 


17 


The medium bales are covered with heavy gunny sacking tied ^und 
with rattan, the ends being tucked under. They are about 40 by 30 
by 20 inches in size and weigh about 170 pounds each. ^ 

The small bales vary in weight frorn 100 to 150 pounds, sonie being 
nearly square in shape and covered with cotton cloth tied with rough 
cordage, and others in the shape of long pillow tubes of cotton cloth 

sewn at the ends and without ropes or ties. ^ 

\\0iile Chinese cotton arrives in bales and packages of various kinds 
and shapes, the pressed bales are put up in even better sty^ those 
from India and Egypt and some are further protected by having a 
layer of flat-woven matting under the burlap and ties. 

The Nippon Menkwa Kaisha is the largest importer of Uiinese 
cotton, smaller amounts being handled by the Mitsui Bussanlyaisha,. 
Okura & Co., Handa Menko, Yung Ta Tu, Tung Yunan Tai, and 
others. The import trade is entirely in the hands of Japanese and 
Chinese, with the former predominating. Over half of the Chinese 
cotton is landed at Kobe and about a fourth at Yokohama, with 
smaller amounts at Nagasaki, Osaka, Yokkaichi, and Moji. 

INDIAN COTTON. 

According to the statistics of the Indian Government, the exports 
of raw cotton from India to various countries for the fiscal years ended 
March 31 have been as follows, in bales of 400 pounds: 


Countries. 

1908 

1909 

1910 

1911 

1912 

1913> 

Japan. 

Germany. 

Belgium. 

Italy. 

Austria-Hungary... 

France. 

United Kingdom. 

China and Hongkong. 

Spain. 

All other countries. 

Total. 

Bales. 
628,499 
539,535 
335,519 
298,093 
175,193 
156,206 
122,791 
38,530 
58,287 
44,714 

Bales. 
623,405 
330,266 
254,850 
238,653 
106,997 
109,223 
99,650 
61,637 
47,180 
31,694 

Bales. 
924,945 
374,677 
300,542 
264,193 
194,429 
115,911 
144,950 
96,796 
55,199 
39,410 

Bales. 
798,687 
389,580 
306,738 
308,099 
190,887 
108,525 
159,016 
44,643 
88,900 
37,117 

Bales. 
984,102 
249,344 
216,850 
190,476 
132,042 
81,749 
117,043 
25,232 
35,788 
19,360 

Bales. 
1,005,695 
266,056 
242,005 
163,435 
111,007 
91,775' 
85,553; 
55,096 
24,346 
20,735 

2,397,367 

1,903,555 

2,511,052 

2,432,192 

2,051,986 

2,065,703 


POSITION OF JAPAN IN INDIAN MARKET. 

The Indian statistics are given to show the predominant position 
of the Japanese cotton buyers on the Indian market. Japan’s pur¬ 
chases have been increasing so strongly that they appear to be crowd¬ 
ing European countries off the market. For instance, in the fiscal 
year ended March 31,1908, Japan ' ookonly 26.2 percent of the exports 
of cotton from India; its share increased to 32.7 per cent in 1909,36.8 per 
cent in 1910, 32.8 per cent in 1911, 47.9 per cent in 1912, 48.7 per cent 
in 1913. Japan now takes nearly as much Indian cotton as all other 
countries combined, and its effect on the raw-cotton market of India 
is second only to that of the Indian mills themselves. Moreover, as the 
Japanese demand is increasing faster than the cotton production in 
India, Japan in the future will probably require a still larger propor¬ 
tion of the Indian crop. 

48895°—14- 2 
































18 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


The general trade of Japan with India has been increasing, but raw 
cotton regularly constitutes some 90 per cent of the total imports 
from India, while the principal articles that Japan ships to India 
consist of silk manufactures and cotton hosiery, shipments of which 
have greatly increased in the last 10 years. 

EFFECT OF SHIPPING ARRANGEMENTS ON JAPANESE IMPORTS. 

Cotton is brought from India to Japan by four steamship lines; the 
Nippon Yusen Kaisha, the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation 
Co., the Austrian Lloyd, and the Navigazione Italiana. 

Most of the cotton imported from India now comes by the Nippon 
Yusen Kaisha, which maintains a regular fortnightly service between 
Kobe, the Straits, and Bombay, with six steamers of 5,000 to 6,000 
tons. The importation of Indian cotton started in 1884 with 173,283 
pounds, say, 433 bales of 400 pounds each. By 1890 this had risen to 
24,823 and by 1893 to 121,008 bales. The Japanese mills had found that 
they could neither hold their home trade in cotton yarns nor increase 
their exports while continuing to use as harsh and low grade a raw 
material as Chinese cotton; moreover, they had suffered considerable 
loss through watering of cotton by the Chinese, their practice of 
mixing old and new crops and cottons of different qualities from 
various sections, and poor ginning. Indian cotton was much better 
suited to the needs of the Japanese mills and was essential if they 
wished to make yarns of somewhat higher count and better quality, so 
they became anxious to di^lace Chinese cotton with Indian. After 
negotiations between Tata Sons & Co., cotton merchants of Bombay, 
the Japan Cotton Spinners’ Association, and the Nippon Yusen Kaisha, 
the last named in 1893 started a line of steamers to carry cotton from 
Bombay to Japan and reduced the freight rate so much below that 
then prevailing that the import of Indian cotton w.as greatly stimu¬ 
lated. (See p. 34.) Indian cotton soon took the premier place in 
the cotton-import trade of Japan and has held it ever since. 

The Peninsular & Oriental ships go by way of Shanghai and take 
longer than those of the Nippon Yusen Kaisha. The Austrian Lloyd 
ships, which are slower, go direct from Hongkong to Yokohama, so 
cotton for Kobe by* this line takes longer than by the Peninsular & 
Oriental. The steamers of the Navigazione Italiana transship all 
cotton at Hongkong, usually to steamers of the North German Lloyd, 
and with this delay Bombay cotton by this route usually takes some 
50 days to arrive at Kobe. 

It is usually figured that Indian cotton requires an average of some 
40 days in transit, the time varying according to the line by which 
shipped, and as Indian cotton does not begin to arrive at shipping ports 
in quantities until November most of the shipments arrive in Japan 
during the first half of the year. The largest importers are the 
Nippon Menkwa Kaisha, Mitsui Bussan Kaisha, and Gosho Goshi 
Kaisha, and the cotton is usually bought on orders from the mills. 
The rainy season starts in India in June, and as the spinners would 
then lose on account of the damp condition of the cotton they prefer 
not to buy during the rainy season; what is bought then is mainly 
cotton that has been consigned by Indian firms such as Tata Sons 
<feCo. 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


19 


About three-fourths of the Indian cotton is usually landed at Kobe; 
smaller quantities are received at Osaka, Yokkaichi, Yokohama, and 
Moji. 

COTTON TRADE STIMULATES GENERAL COMMERCE WITH INDIA. 

The result of the invasion of the Nippon Yusen Kaisha into the 
Bombay trade has been to stimulate not only the importation of raw 
cotton from India, but also the exportation of silk goods, cotton 
hosiery, metals, matches, and apparel, and this has been further aided 
by the inauguration of another fortnightly line of ships between 
Japan and Calcutta. This last service was started by the Nippon 
Yusen Kaisha in 1911 and has had strong opposition from the British 
India Steam Navigation Co. A small amount of cotton is brought 
by this and other lines from Calcutta and Rangoon, but the great 
bulk of the Indian cotton comes from Bombay. The Indian cotton 
taken by the Japanese is chiefly of the better grades, especially 
Broach and Hinganghat, as the mills can get all the coarser cotton 
they need for the lowest counts nearer by in Shanghai. 

Indian cotton now constitutes from one-half to two-thirds of all 
cotton used in Japanese cotton mills. Since 1896, when it displaced 
Chinese from the first place, Indian cotton has led in the consump¬ 
tion, though in 1900 the failure of the Indian crop resulted in a larger 
importation of American, and in 1904 the exceedingly high price of 
both American and Indian led to a larger importation of Chinese. 
These two years were exceptional, however, and even in those years 
Indian cotton constituted the largest proportion of the cotton actually 
consumed by the mills. 

AMERICAN COTTON. 

The use of American cotton in Japan was begun with a sample bale 
in 1886. Imports increased steadily until they amounted in 1900 to 
the equivalent of 296,756 bales of 500 pounds each, according to the 
Japanese import statistics. In that year the consumption of Ameri¬ 
can cotton in Japanese mills reached its record proportion of 41.17 
per cent of all cotton worked, this percentage being only slightly ex¬ 
ceeded by that of the Indian. These imports were mostly of cotton 
bought in 1899, and with the great rise in price in the United States 
in 1900 the imports of American cotton fell off sharply. Since then 
the purchases have fluctuated with the price. Japanese mills prefer 
to use American cotton to make yarns of better grade and also to 
make the higher count yarns, but in many years American cotton is 
so high in price that, with the intermediate charges added, the spin¬ 
ners have to restrict their purchases. The fluctuations in the imports 
of American cotton therefore are not due to variations in the Japanese 
consumption but to the rise or fall in the price. The Japanese took 
advantage of the low prices in the first part of 1905 to increase their 
imports of American, but with the rise in prices imports again fell off 
and remained small until the low prices for the record crop of 1911-12 
enabled them again to take larger amounts. During 1912 their pur¬ 
chases of American cotton greatly exceeded those of any previous 
year, and their consumption of American cotton amounted to slightly 
over one-third of the total. 


20 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


RECORD OF AMERICAN EXPORTS TO JAPAN. 


The first exports of cotton to Japan recorded in the American ex¬ 
port statistics were in 1891. American figures for fiscal years ended 
June 30 show the exports of cotton to Japan in 500-pound bales to 
have been as follows: 


Years. 

Bales 

1891. 

4,813 

1892. 

3,' 149 

1893. 

i;586 

9,603 

1894. 

1895. 

22 ;130 
40,388 
64,022 

1896. 

18^7. 

1898. 

224' 214 




Years. 

Bales. 

1899. 

182,734 
323,202 
78,558 
178,505 
152,826 
45,870 
336,575 
147,269 

1900. 

1901. 

1902. 

1903.. 

1904. 

1905. 

1906. 



Years. 

Bales. 

1907. 

262,283 

1908. 

200 ' 396 

1909. 

208', 943 
95,000 

1910. 

1911. 

156' 724 

1912. 

458'097 

1913. 

374,802 



For the fiscal year ended June 30, 1912, the American figures show 
exports to Japan of 240,467,144 pounds, valued at $25,182,092, which 
gives an average value per pound of 10.47 cents. For the calendar 
year ended December 31, 1912, the Japanese import statistics show 
the arrivals of American cotton to have been 187,223,700 kin 
(247,653,894 pounds), valued at 64,601,154 yen ($32,171,375), which 
gives an average value at the port in Japan of 34.50 yen per 100 kin, 
or 13 cents per pound. 


SHIPPING ROUTES FROM THE UNITED STATES. 

The bulk of the American cotton used in Japan is from Texas and 
Oldahoma and most of it is routed via San Francisco. There are 
three usual routes, via San Francisco, Puget Sound, and the Suez 
Canal. 

The San Francisco is the main route and the bulk of the cotton 
from Texas, with some from Louisiana and Mississippi, is carried 
over the Sante Fe or the Southern Pacific Railroad to San Francisco 
and thence to Japan by the Pacific Mail Steamship Co. or the Toyo 
Risen Kaisha. This route is most favored by the importers as being 
the quickest and requiring the least handling, but the ships on this 
route are for passengers rather than cargo, and this may cause cotton 
to lie over for some time at the port awaiting cargo space. During 
the heavy exportation in 1912, for instance, the Pacific Mail had to 
charter steamers specially to deal with its surplus cotton consign¬ 
ments. In the early part of the season cotton has been known to 
come through from Texas to Kobe in 30 days, but as a rule it takes 
much longer, from 2 to as many as 5 months in some cases. One of 
the chief importing firms, Mitsui Bussan Kaisha, states that it usu¬ 
ally has to allow about 80 days for cotton from Houston to Kobe. 
The present (December, 1913) through rate from Texas common 
points to Kobe is 1.35 cents per pound, of which the railroads take 
0.95 cent and the steamships 0.40 cent. 

Cotton from northeastern Texas and from Oklahoma, as well as 
some from Little Rock and Memphis, is carried by various lines to 
St. Paul and thence to Seattle, Tacoma, or Port Townsend by the 
Great Northern Railroad or the Northern Pacific Railroad. From 









































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


21 


Puget Sound ports it goes to Japan by the Osaka Shosen Kaisha, 
the Nippon Yusen Kaisha, or the Great Northern Steamship Co. 
The last named has but one boat, the Minnesota, which, however, is 
one of the largest on the Pacific. The Great Northern and the 
Nippon Tusen start from vSeattle, while the Osaka Shosen starts from 
Tacoma. 

The cotton shipped to Japan from New York, or direct from south¬ 
ern ports, such as Charleston, Savannah, Pensacola, and New Orleans, 
goes across the Atlantic, through the Suez Canal, around southern 
Asia, and up to Japan. This, of course, is much the longest route and 
takes from 3 to 6 months; it is therefore little used, though it is re¬ 
corded that during the heavy shipments of 1912, when the Pacific 
ports were congested, some cotton by this route actually arrived 
as quickly and cheaply as some of that shipped overland. 

In addition, there have been shipments in some seasons north to 
St. Paul, thence via the Canadian Pacific Railway to Vancouver and 
thence by the Canadian Pacific Steamship Co. to Japan. The 
Canadian Pacific, however, has only one steamer adapted to carrying 
cotton, and none is now being shipped this way. The ocean rate 
from Vancouver, as that from Puget Sound ports, is the same as the 
rate from San Francisco. 

SHIPMENTS DURING LAST TWO SEASONS. 

According to the figures of the New York Chronicle, as shown in 
the monthly reports of the Japan Cotton Merchants’ Union, ship¬ 
ments of American cotton during the last two seasons have been 
routed as follows: 


September. 
October.... 
November. 
December.. 
January... 
February.. 

March.. 

April. 

May. 

June. 

July. 

August.... 

Total 


Months. 


1911-12 SEASOft. 


San Fran¬ 
cisco. 


Bales. 


Seattle. 


Bales. 


Port 

Townsend. 


Bales. 


Suez Canal. 


Bales. 


Total. 


Bales. 


19,643 
21,762 
32,475 
44,058 
32,397 
35,351 
8,396 
5,470 
445 


850 



4,291 

657 


14,829 

3,050 

3,740 

20,437 

8,057 

33,311 

26,341 

2,878 

9,607 

2,425 

14,211 

15,275 

17,769 

18,347 

651 

22,359 

2,084 

7,442 

13,036 

525 

4,831 

12 


1,500 


850 
24,591 
43,381 

94.280 
82,884 
64,308 
72,118 

40.281 
19,031 

6,776 
12 


1912-13 SEASON. 


199,997 


127,180 


49,284 


72,051 


448,512 


September 
October... 
November. 
December. 
January... 
February.. 

March. 

April. 

May. 

June. 

July. 

August.... 


7,395 
18,814 
35,647 
25,982 
40,322 
29,236 
21,583 
42,207 
39,174 
3,081 
406 


6,948 
9,037 
21,385 
14,967 
13,908 
9,186 
15,419 
8,359 
1,219 
300 


2,500 
3,000 
1,284 
3,900 
3,700 


1,000 


7,395 
25,762 
44,684 
47,367 
55,289 
45,644 
33,769 
58,910 
51,433 
8,000 
706 
1,000 


Total 


263,847 


100,728 


15,384 


379,959 












































































22 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


Of the American cotton shipments to Japan during the 1911-12 
season, 44.6 per cent went via San Francisco, 39.3 per cent via Puget 
Sound, and 16.1 per cent via Suez; during the 1912-13 season, 69.4 
per cent went via San Francisco, 26.5 per cent via Puget Sound, and 
4.1 per cent via Suez. The largest amounts are carried by the steamers 
of the Pacific Mail and the next largest amounts by the steamers of 
the Toyo Kisen, the Osaka Shosen, and the Nippon Yusen, re¬ 
spectively. 

COMPLAINTS AS TO DELAY AND UNDERWEIGHT. 

With few exceptions American cotton, by whatever route shipped, 
takes a long time to arrive, usually 60 to 150 days. The importers 
complain of delay, which is due mainly to the long period the cotton 
remains at Pacific ports before it is taken aboard, but they complain 
still more as to the uncertainty as to date of arrival. When an 
importer contracts to deliver to a mill a certain amount of American 
cotton monthly, and he can not tell within three months when his 
shipments may arrive, it can be readily seen that the business can 
not be very satisfactory, not to mention the question of interest on 
the money involved. 

The greatest complaint as to American cotton, however, is that 
it rarely comes up to weight, and importers are compelled to make 
claims on almost every shipment. It is a source of wonder to 
foreign and native cotton dealers in Japan that the American ship¬ 
pers can afford to pay these claims and continue to do business. 
Some Japanese importers seem to think that American shippers 
figure onThe cotton gaining heavily in moisture during the long sea 
trip and so not only add to their invoices the 1 per cent franchise 
allowance, but also add 1 or 2 per cent more. Others say that some 
loss is possibly occasioned by wastage and theft en route, owing to 
the poor packing, with gaping sample holes in the sides and end 
covers torn off. This, however, can .not account for such heavy 
and uniform losses in weight, and the larger importers say that it 
must be due to evaporation en route. Some cotton before being 
weighed for shipment has stood in warehouses with concrete floors 
and has taken on a temporary weight that soon disappears. Even 
when cotton is shipped without this added weight the trip is such 
a long one that, as most of the cotton arrives in Japan during the 
winter when the climate is usually dry, there is necessarily a loss of 
weight by evaporation. In the early part of the season, before 
heavy shipments have begun, cotton has been known to arrive in 
Kobe from Texas, in 30 days, and in such cases it is noted that the 
weights are all right. As a rule, however, the longer the delay en , 
route the heavier the loss in weight. The official sworn cotton 
weigher at Kobe states that American cotton, year in and year out, 
averages 1,000 pounds loss per 100 bales; losses of 1,000 to 1,500 
pounds are very common, while last season a loss of 2,686 pounds 
on a 100-bale shipment was recorded. This great discrepancy 
between the invoiced weights and the weights at port of arrival, 
ranging from an average of 2 per cent to over 5 per cent in excep¬ 
tional cases, is hard to explain even on the theory of loss by evapo¬ 
ration, and it is a matter that American shippers should investigate 
thoroughly. 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


23 


IMPORT METHODS—QUALITIES USED—MARKET QUOTATIONS. 

Cotton dealers handling American cotton are chiefly Japanese, 
and most of the cotton imported by foreign firms goes through the 
hands of local dealers before reaching the mills, as the factories 
themselves do not import cotton direct and buy only from cotton 
dealers who are members of the Japan Cotton Merchants’ Union. 
Usually cotton is ordered by the importers on orders of the mills. 
The Nippon Menkwa Kaisha (the Japan Cotton Trading Co.) is the 
largest importer of American cotton, while smaller amounts are taken 
by Mitsui Bussan Kaisha, Yokohama Kiito Gomei Kaisha, Gosho 
Goshi Kaisha, M. Kaspe & Co., Tata Sons & Co., K. Yoshikawa, and 
Naigai Wata Kaisha. 

Owing to the time taken in transit, most of the American ship¬ 
ments, like those from India, arrive during the first half of the year. 

The bulk of the American cotton imported into Japan is middling 
and good middling from Texas and Oklahoma; but the percentage of 
good middling has increased in recent years. This cotton averages 
about I inch in length and is suitable for mixing with Broach and 
similar good Indian cottons and with Saigon or the Chinese Tungchow 
cottons, which are cheaper and have less luster and elasticity, but 
which are not materially different in staple. An importer estimates 
that the American staple cottons included in the American total last 
season, such as Mississippi benders of 1J to inch staple, amounted 
to some 40,000 bales. These are used straight for making shirting 
yarns from 30s to 42s. There is no import of Sea Island. American 
invoices are usually stated in terms of shillings per Japanese picuL ^ 

On the Japanese market cotton is quoted in terms of yen per 
100 kin, a yen being 49.8 cents and 100 kin, or a Japanese picul, 
132.277 pounds. An importer states that if cotton is quoted in 
the United States at 10 cents per pound, the price to the mill, after 
allowing for freight and insurance, landing and coolie hire, importer’s 
profits, and expenses, would be ordinarily about 34 yen per 100 kin 
(12.80 cents per pound). Similarly, a 12J-cent price in the United 
States would mean 41 yen per 100 kin (15.43 cents per pound) at 
the mill in Japan. A 15-cent price in the United States would mean 
about 48 yen per 100 kin (18.07 cents per pound) at the mill in 
Japan, but at this figure there would be no business, as the mills 
could not afford to use it. 

About two-thirds of the American cotton is usually landed at 
Kobe and about a fourth at Yokohama; small amounts also go to 
Moji and Nagasaki. 

If, as expected, cotton can be transported by the Panama Canal 
quicker or more cheaply, this should tend to increase shipments to 
Japan, as the Japanese mills wish to increase their takings of American 
cotton as against Indian and Chinese, but are deterred by the price, 
in which the intermediate handling charges are at present a con¬ 
siderable factor. 

EGYPTIAN COTTON. 

The importation of Egyptian cotton was started in 1893 with 4,700 
kwan (38,856 pounds), following the establishment of the Nippon 
Boseki to make fme yarns. From this the imports of Egyptian have 



24 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


increased until in 1912 they amounted to 15,337,650 pounds, valued 
at $2,956,040. 

According to Egyptian official statistics the exports of cotton 
from that country in the calendar year 1913 were distributed as 
follows (cantar= 99.05 pounds): 


Countries. 

Quantity. 

Value. 

Countries. 

- 

Quantity. 

Value. 

United Kingdom. 

United States. 

Germany. 

Cantars. 
2,996,404 
673,523 
665,101 
656,242 
• 599,900 
432,051 
274,009 

S54,355,403 

12,073,277 

12,011,356 

11,894,781 

10,828,126 

7,802,051 

4,955,209 

Italy. 

Japan. 

Spain. 

Cantars. 
265,927 
179,461 
159,635 
72,433 

6,972,686 

$4,801,843 
3,239,894 
2,878,170 
1,271,188 

126,111,298 

France... 

Russia. 

Austria-Hungary. 

■Switzerland. 

All other countries. 

Total. 


According to the foregoing, Japan ranks ninth in the consumption 
of Egyptian cotton. Although tlie Japanese mills are and will con¬ 
tinue to be occupied mainly with low counts, the production of fine 
counts in a few mills is increasing, and the industry will yearly 
require larger amounts of Egyptian cotton. At present seven 
Japanese mills make counts high enough to necessitate Egyptian 
cotton, the chief ones being the Nippon, the Fuji Gas, the Kanegafu- 
chi, and the Tokyo. 

Egyptian cotton is imported into Japan by English and Japanese 
firrns, the largest importers being Tata Sons & Co. and Mitsui Bussan 
Kaisha. The Alexandria firms shipping Egyptian cotton to Japan 
in largest amounts are Choremi Benachi Co. and K. & O. Lindemami. 

OTHER COTTON. 

The cotton from Annam and Saigon in French Indo-China is mostly 
of good quality and staple, and it is usually used for mixing with the 
best of that froni India. Part of the Indo-China production is used 
in home industries or in the mills of that country, and with fluctuating 
crops the amount taken by Japan varies largely. It forms a decreas¬ 
ing percentage of the total consumption in Japan, and is now less than 
1 per cent. 

The bulk of the cotton from Siam and the Dutch East Indies 
imported into Japan is cheap but inferior, and its consumption is 
negligible. The purchases from Kwantung Province tend to increase, 
but the amount used is also negligible. At one time the Japanese 
mills hoped to secure a good supply from Siam and were desirous of 
doing so, as this country was not only comparatively near but also 
assuredly neutral in case of war, but in neither quality nor quantity 
has the cotton fulfilled expectations. 

From the foregoing data as to the various cottons imported into 
Japan it is seen that there have been four periods in the trade. Until 
the middle of 1880 Japanese cotton was predominant, and this is 
termed the Japanese cotton period. Then Chinese cotton largely 
displaced the local product, and from 1880 to 1889 was the Chinese 
cotton period. Then Indian cotton imports began to increase, and 
from 1890 to 1895 was a Chinese-Indian cotton period. In 1894, 































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


25 


for instance, these two cottons totaled 86.3 per cent of the total mill 
consumption. Since 1895 has followed what might be called the 
Indian-Am eric an cotton period, for the mill consumption of Chinese 
cotton has decreased until in 1912 Indian and American cotton 
together accounted for no less than 91.53 of the total imports used 
in the mills. 

The great fluctuations in imports of the various kinds are due to 
the increase or decrease in purchases as determined by the relative 
prices at which the various cottons are offered. The mills buy where 
they can get cotton cheapest, and by mixing can maintain very nearly 
their usual quality of the coarse counts on which most of them work. 
For this reason it is impossible to judge from the imports of preceding 
years the amount of any one cotton that will be taken in a year. 

METHOD OF PURCHASING. 

That the Japanese mills are not dependent on any one cotton, as 
are mills making finer counts, and can vary their proportions of 
several cottons, and hence in a measure avoid losses due to excep¬ 
tionally high piices for anyone kind, is a factor very much in their 
favor. An adverse factor, however, is that they are not able to buy 
from stock. In Lancashire a mill can order from stock at Liverpool 
and receive the cotton witliin 24 hours after the bargain is closed. 
In Japan the cotton dealers order very little cotton except on direct 
orders from the mills, and the latter therefore have to wait from 2 to 
3 or more, sometimes 5, months before they get the cotton, and 
during this time they are unable to take advantage of any decline in 
the market. 

CONTRACT BETWEEN MERCHANTS AND SPINNERS. 

The mills do not import themselves, but buy from local cotton 
dealers, most of whom are Japanese and members of the Japan Cotton 
Merchants’ Union. The following is a translation of the contract 
drawn up between the two associations and used between the mills 
and the dealers: 

In buying and selling cotton the following regulations shall be binding on both 
parties: 

Article 1. One of the })arties to the contract shall send a w^ritten offer stating 
kind, quality, price, quantity, the day and place of payment, the time of shipment, 
or the day and place of delivery, and his wish to buy or sell as the case may be. If 
the offer is accepted the other party to the contract shall send back a wTitten accept¬ 
ance stating the same particulars. 

Art. 2. tiliere the contract stipulates for payment after delivery, the seller or 
sellers may insist that a promissory note be given at the time of delivery of the goods. 
If necessary, the seller or sellers may also insist on reasonable security from the buyer 
or buyers. . 

Art. 3. At the due date of delivery or after the arrival of goods, if the seller or 
sellers do not deliver all the goods or a portion thereof, or if the buyer refuses to receiA^e 
all the goods or a portion thereof, the other party is entitled to cancel that part of the 
contract violated, and will also be entitled to claim from the defaulter the difference 
between the market price and the contract price, and, further, 1 per cent on the 
contract price as damages. 

Art. 4. Though the buyer or buyers claim that the goods to be delivered by the 
seller or sellers are of a quality inferior to that contracted for, they shall in all cases 
take immediate delivery of the goods, but a margin of 5 per cent on the contract price 


26 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


shall be deducted and deposited in a sound bank in the name of both parties until a 
settlement of the dispute can be arrived at. 

Art. 5 . ^^Tlere delivery is prevented by reason of natural calamity or other una¬ 
voidable circumstances, the seller or sellers shall be entitled to demand from the buyer 
or buyers reasonable extension of the time of delivery. Where the time of delivery 
is thus extended the time of payment shall be likewise extended. 

Art. 6. The weight of Indian cotton shall be taken at the original invoice weight; 
the weight of other cottons shall be taken at their actual weight a.t the place of 
delivery. However, the buyer or buyers may demand from the seller or sellers a 
guarantee as to the weight of Indian cotton. 

Art. 7. WTien the seller or sellers unintentionally deliver cotton of different kind 
or quality, the buyer or buyers are entitled to demand a reasonable reduction on 
the price. 

When the seller or sellers intentionally deliver cotton of different kind, the buyer 
or buyers are entitled, in addition to the privileges mentioned above, to cancel the 
whole contract or a part thereof, or to demand a reasonable reduction in the price, 
and further to claim from the seller or sellers 8 per cent of the price as a fine. 

In case the seller or sellers unintentionally deliver cotton of different kind or 
quality and 50 days have elapsed, the buyer or buyers shall have no right to demand 
a reduction in the price. 

Art. 8. All disputes arising between the buyer or buyers and the seller or sellers 
in regard to buying or selling of cotton, shall be settled by arbitration according to 
the following articles: 

Art. 9. Incase of such disputes, either party is entitled, after stating the matter to 
the other party, to request the appointment of arbitrators as follows: 

Art. 10. The number of arbitrators shall be two. 

Art. 11. The appointment of arbitrators shall be vested in the presidents of the 
Japan Cotton Spinners’ Association and the Japan Cotton Merchants’ Union, or in 
those representing the presidents for the time being. 

Art. 12. In case the presidents, or their representatives for the time being, do not 
agree on the appointment of persons qualified as arbitrators, then each president or 
his representative for the time being shall appoint an arbitrator separately. 

Art. 13. In case an arbitrator dies, resigns, or is incapacitated from acting, then a 
substitute arbitrator shall be appointed as in the preceding articles. If, as in article 
12, the appointment of a substitute can not be agreed upon mutually, then several 
shall be named and one selected by ballot. 

Art. 14. When the two arbitrators fail to agree, one more will be named by mutual 
consent, and the dispute will be settled by the latter’s decision. 

Art. 15. The procedure of the arbitration shall be settled by the arbitrators in case 
there is no provision respecting same in the Imperial Code. 

Art. 16. The amount of the expenses of the arbitration and of the remuneration to 
the arbitrators, and the party on whom it shall fall, shall be fixed by the arbitrators. 
The remuneration of arbitrators is limited between 3 and 30 j^en. 

Art. 17. Either party to the dispute may appeal from the decision of the arbitrators 
by submitting the matter for final decision to the liverpool Cotton Exchange in the 
case of American cotton or to the Bombay Cotton Exchange in the case of Indian 
cotton. 

To confirm the agreement of the above contract each party shall keep one of these 
contracts, signed and sealed by both parties. 


(Name of buj'er.) 


Dated 


(Name of seller.) 


METHOD OF MIXING. 

The average count of yarns produced by the Japanese industry 
during the first half of 1913 is given as No. 23, while two numbers, 
16s (mostly weft) and 20s (mostly warp), accounted for over half 
of the total. Two or more of the mills spin up to No. 100. 

The higher counts are spun exclusively from the longer-stapled 
Egyptian. For 42s to 50s or 60s Mississippi peeler cotton of l^^ to 








COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


27 


lA irich staple is usually mixed with Egyptian of the same length. 
For 38s to 42s there is usually used peeler cotton of IJ to lA inch 
staple. For about 28s to 38s there is required American Upland, 
from good middling to middling fair. 

Below 28s the yarns are usually made from two or more cottons, 
but the mixings vary considerably from mill to mill, according to the 
standard of quality desired and also according to the prices of the 
various cottons. Ordinarily American cotton is not used for yarns 
under 16s. In this count it is customary to use about an eighth 
of middling upland, but if American cotton is relatively cheap the 
amount may be increased to a fourth. The remainder is frequently 
composed of equal amounts of Indian and Chinese. For making 
20s there is ordmarily used about one-fourth American, one-half 
Indian, and maybe one-fourth Chinese; if American cotton is rela¬ 
tively cheap, the proportion of it may be increased to a third or 
more. For 24s the mixing is frequently half and hah of American 
and Indian. 

Lower-grade Indian cottons are used in making 10s to 15s, usually 
with a half and half mixing of Chinese. Yarns below this would 
seem ordinarily to be made of Chinese. 

The proportions are varied according to quality of yarn, quality 
of cotton, price, etc., from mill to mill and year to year, so that the 
foregoing is given only as an indication of the ordinary practice. 
Some mills, like the Kanegafuchi, use a larger proportion of American 
cotton than others in making counts for sale like 16s and 20s, and 
they consider that the higher price brought by their yarns more than 
offsets the higher cost of the raw material. Chinese cotton is usually 
white but does not possess any special luster, while most of the 
Indian cottons have a brownish tinge, and both cottons are harsh. 
American cotton is softer and more lustrous, and the addition of it 
not only adds to the strength but improves the feel and appearance 
of the yarn and enables the mills to obtain a better price. In the 
mixings, of course, cottons of near the same length of staple must 
be used, but the Chinese Tungchow and Indian Broach and similar 
cottons can be readily mixed with Texas Upland, as all have about 
the same staple of | to 1 inch. Tne lower-grade Indian and Chinese 
cottons of f to f inch also mix readily. The amount of waste made 
and the quality of the yarn vary according to the proportions, and 
the mixing requires the closest attention of the manager. 

Some mills mix the various cottons on the floor by taking material 
alternately from a selected number of bales of each kind, but others 
run each cotton separately through the opener and picker and mix 
by varying the number of laps of each on the intermediate and finisher 
lappers. The latter method is preferred by many mills, and when 
a very dirty and trashy cotton is to be mixed with a cleaner one of 
the same staple it is much the better system. 

MILL CONSUMPTION. 

The Japan Cotton Spinners' Association has kept a record of the 
actual consumption of cotton in the mills since 1893, which differs, of 
course, from the amounts imported, and the following table is given 


28 , 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN 


to show more clearly the use of the various cottons for the industry 
as a whole: 


Years. 


Japanese. 


Kwan. 


Per cent. 


Chinese. 


Kwan. 


Per cent. 


East Indian. 


Kwan. 


Per cent. 


American. 


Kwan. 


Per cent. 


1893. 

445,548 

3.46 

1894. 

384,436 

2.14 

1895. 

285,335 

1.29 

1896. 

164,263 

.66 

1897. 

128,206 

.41 

1898. 

50,944 

.13 

1899. 

2,430 

.01 

1900. 

9,560 

.02 

1901. 

9,825 

.03 

1902. 

6,333 

.01 

1903. 

381 


1904. 

46,257 

.12 

1905. 

1,824 

.03 

1906. 

73,418 

.13 

1907. 

31,267 

.05 

1908. 



1909. 

259 


1910. 



1911. 

201,559 

.31 

1912. 

1,854 


1913 0. 

5; 028 

.01 


5,858,214 
9,185,388 
9,867,326 
6,787,145 
5,410,776 
3,272,962 
2,037,514 
5,326,785 
5,187,784 
5,002,803 
9,805,430 
15,357,186 
8,479,482 
11,686,346 
8,097,563 
9,137,068 
6,399,867 
9,503,317 
13,224,015 
3,798,556 
3,652,220 


45.47 
51.19 
44.73 
27.27 
17.45 
8. 46 
4.55 
14. 72 

13.68 
11.67 
20.94 

38.92 

16.69 

21.92 
14.66 
17.99 
10.90 
14.56 
20. 44 

4.98 

8.75 


4,924,519 
6,300,953 
8,718,681 
14,470,185 

19.401.704 
22,044,110 

28.479.705 
15,134,932 
24,068,120 
26,247,961 
26,406,970 
17,456,421 
25,863,749 
25,668,284 
31,888,545 
27,684,127 
36,784,257 
44,737,056 
35,735,790 
44,167,552 
23,452,654 


38. 22 
35.11 
39.52 
58.15 

62.57 
56.98 
63.64 
41.83 

63.20 
61.25 
56. 39 
44.24 
30.92 
48.14 
57.75 
54.51 
62.63 

68.58 
55.23 
57.85 

55.20 


1,058,074 
1,499,499 
2,248,890 
2,847,271 
5,179,463 
12,137,096 
13,235,539 
14,895,538 
7,708,105 
9,997,002 
8,020,935 
4,474,798 
14,913,465 
14,319,127 
13,345,969 
11,480,964 
12,665,166 
8,334,781 
13,384,909 
25,710,150 
12,935,194 


8.21 
8.34 
10.20 
11.44 
16.70 

31.37 
29.58 

41.17 

20.34 
23.30 
17.12 

11.34 

29.37 
26.85 

24.17 
22.60 
21.52 
12. 77 
20.68 
33.68 
31.00 


Years. 

Egyptian. 

Annam and Saigon. 

All others. 

Total. 

Kwan. 

Per cent. 

Kwan. 

Per cent. 

Kwan. 

Per cent. 

Kwan. 

1893. 

4,700 

0.04 

567,269 

4.40 

26,277 

0.20 

12,884, ODl 

1894. 

80,112 

. 45 

494,029 

2.75 

2,480 

.02 

17,946,897 

1895. 

50,247 

.23 

841,331 

3.81 

48,881 

.22 

22,060,691 

1896. 

145,901 

.59 

451,078 

1.81 

19,491 

.08 

24,885,334 

1897. 

169,327 

.*55 

705,818 

2. 28 

14,0.58 

.04 

31,009,352 

1898. 

352,864 

. 52 

648,365 

2.07 

182,711 

.47 

38,689,052 

1899. 

424,825 

.94 

361,552 

.80 

205,558 

.48 

44; 747; 123 

1900. 

541,705 

1.51 

192,231 

.53 

78,371 

.22 

36,179,122 

1901. 

571,.542 

1.50 

181,836 

.47 

175,092 

.46 

37,902,304 

1902. 

838,737 

1.96 

511,808 

1.19 

249,586 

.58 

42; 854; 230 

1903. 

997,075 

2.13 

864,743 

1.85 

733,654 

1.57 

46', 829; 188 

1904. 

881,535 

2.23 

754,884 

1.91 

488,040 

1.24 

39,459; 121 

1905. 

883,863 

1.74 

314,560 

.61 

337,917 

. 66 

50, 794,860 

1906. 

806,274 

1.51 

322,570 

. 65 

436,801 

.81 

53,312; 820 

1907. 

841,016 

1.52 

603,265 

1.09 

406,134 

.73 

55,213, 759 

1908. 

1,128,741 

2. 22 

858,499 

1.69 

499,754 

.99 

50,789,153 

1909. 

1,570,547 

2.67 

763,955 

1.30 

574,264 

.98 

58, 758,315 

1910. 

1,364,966 

2.09 

578,842 

.88 

712,081 

1.12 

65,231,043 

1911. 

1,620,785 

2.51 

220,540 

.34 

316,981 

.49 

64,704,579 

1912. 

1,810,387 

2.37 

448,246 

.58 

411,073 

.54 

76,347,818 

1913 a . 

956,528 

2.29 

403,326 

.96 

329,916 

.79 

4i; 734; 866 


a Six months. 


FLUCTUATIONS IN USE OF VARIOUS COTTONS. 

The foregoing table shows not only the increase in the industry as a 
whole and the fluctuations in prosperity from year to year, but also 
the relative proportions of various cottons consumed. The depres¬ 
sion due to the Boxer troubles in 1900, following a financial crisis, 
resulted in a smaller cotton consumption in 1900 and 1901. Again, 
in 1904 the outbreak of the Russian War caused a decrease, but this 
loss was quickly recovered, and during the next three years every 
spindle ran to its capacity. In 1908 the short time due to the finan¬ 
cial crisis and the reaction after the boom are reflected in a lessened 
consumption, but in the next three years, with a larger number of 

























































































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


29 


spindleS) the consumption increased in spite of considerable short time. 
In 1912 the ^adual increase in spindles and the resumption of full 
time in all mills in the latter part of the year, due to an increasing 
demand, resulted in a big gain in the amount of cotton used, and the 
full-time prosperity of the first hah of 1913 resulted in a still larger 
consumption. 

The table shows that Japanese cotton is a neghgible factor in the 
mills. The consumption of Annam and Saigon cotton has declined 
from 4.4 per cent in 1893 to less than 1 per cent in 1913. The use of 
Dutch East Indian, Siamese, Kwantung, Chosen, and others is also 
neghgible. Of the four cottons used in quantity, the Indian has 
shown a comparatively steady gain in the 20 years; in spite of wide 
fluctuations the general tendency is for American to increase, and 
there has been a fairly steady growth in the importation of Egyptian; 
the use of Chinese cotton tends to decrease. 

Of Chinese cotton, the largest percentage was reached in 1894, with 
51.19 per cent of the total, while the largest amount used was in 1904, 
with 15,357,186 kwan (127,057,857 pounds). Of Indian, the largest 
percentage was used in 1910, with 68.58 per cent of the total, and the 
largest amount was used in the same year, with 44,737,056 kwan 
(369,841,242 pounds). Of American, the largest percentage was in 
1900, with 41.17 per cent, and the largest amount used by far was in 
1912, with 25,710,150 kwan (212,545,810 pounds), which was not far 
from twice as much as ever used before in a single year. The largest 
percentage of Egyptian cotton was in 1909, with 2.67 per cent, 
and the largest consumption was the 1,810,387 kwan (14,966,469 
pounds) used in 1912. 

While the general tendency is to use larger amounts of Indian^ 
American, and Egyptian cottons and to lessen the use of Chinese, the 
table shows that comparative price levels may cause sharp fluctua¬ 
tions, as, for instance, the sudden drop in the consumption of Indian 
cotton in 1900 and again in 1904, the sharp dechne in the use of 
American in 1901 and 1910 and the great increase in 1912, and the 
spurts of (3hinese cotton in 1904, 1906, and 1911. As already noted, 
these fluctuations were due mainly to changes in the price of the 
respective cottons. 

The purchases by Japanese mills are a relatively small factor on the 
cotton markets of the United States and Egypt, but, next to the local 
demand, they are the predominating factor on the Chinese and Indian 
markets. Japan takes some 90 per cent of the total Chinese exports, 
and a third to a half of the total exports of Indian cotton. 

RELATION OF IMPORTS TO CONSUMPTION. 

In the table on page 10 are given the official Government figures 
for the total imports of cotton, in kin. These, however, include 
both unginned and ginned cotton. In the table on page 30 are shown 
separately the imports, in pounds, for the last 20 years of unginned 
and ginned cotton, and the equivalent total imports of lint (obtained 
by adding to the ginned cotton one-third of the amount imported in 
the seed). In the table on page 28 is shown the total actual mill con¬ 
sumption in kwan, as given by the Japan Cotton Spinners' Association. 


30 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


These amounts have been converted to pounds and are given below 
to show the percentage of the imports used in the mills. 


Years 

Imports. 

Consumed 

Remainder. 

Per cent 
of imports 

Unginned. 

Ginned. 

Total lint. 

in mills. 

used in 
mills. 

1893. 

Pounds. 
29,089,829 
15,232,490 
15,455,906 
11,490,903 

Pounds. 
124,123,049 
143,408,903 
189, 775,563 
222,050,754 
293,032,444 
330,328,341 

Pounds. 
133,819,658 
148,586,400 
194,927,532 

Pounds. 

106,516,996 

Pounds. 
27,302,662 

79.60 

1894. 

148,366,997 
182,375,732 
205, 727,056 
256,354,313 

219,403 

99.85 

1895. 

12,551,800 

93.56 

1896. 

225,881,055 

20,153,999 
40,353,183 
12,970,066 
77, 793,319 
42,161,801 

91.09 

1897. 

11,025,156 

296, 707,496 
332,812,459 
447,717,785 

86.40 

1898. 

7,452,354 

319,842,393 
369,924,466 
299,092,802 

96.10 

1899. 

17,380,660 
19,102,386 
15,938,982 
18,203,828 

441,924,229 
334,887,141 

82.62 

1900. 

341,254,603 

87.65 

1901. 

325', 224', 830 

330,537,824 
449,041,261 

313,338,347 
354,273,918 
387,136,897 

17,199,477 

94.80 

1902. 

442,973,318 
379,052,178 
336,788,089 
553,255,695 

94, 767,343 

78.90 

1903. 

24', 651; 009 
33,637,512 

387,269,181 

132,284 
21,792,040 
141,648,329 

99.94 

1904. 

348; OOO; 593 

326; 208; 553 

93. 74 

1905. 

24^ 946 225 

561,569,437 

419,921,108 

74. 77 

1906. 

25; 508; 297 

391,139,650 
530,714,240 
412,001,849 
498,803,472 
632,859,200 
526,676,484 
775,138,061 

399,642,416 
540,599,653 
422,112,441 

440; 737 ; 083 
456,453,799 
419,873,928 
485,763,257 

0 4i; 094', 667 
84,145,854 
2,238,513 
22,498,946 

no. 28 

1907. 

29,656,239 

84. 43 

1908. 

30;331;777 
28,376,194 
22,335,104 

99. 47 

1909. 

508; 262; 203 

95. 57 

1910. 

640,304,235 

539,265,032 

101,039, 203 

84. 22 

1911. 

20; 016; 949 
28,673,553 

533,348,800 
784,695,912 

534 ; 912 ; 755 
631,167,411 

a 1,563,955 
153,528,501 

100. 29 

1912. 

80.43 





a Excess of consumption over imports. 


In the 20 years, therefore, the imports of lint amounted to 
8,027,090,944 pounds, and of this the regular cotton-spinning mills 
used 7,197,252,843 pounds, leaving 829,838,101 pounds for other 
uses. After the severe depression, about 1890, and again in the severe 
depression about 1899 and 1900, some miUs failed, others closed down, 
and there was some reexport of cotton; otherwise the remainder not 
used in the mills was put to other uses, such as for padding clothes and 
in making wadding, and some was exported in that form, etc. In 
the 20 years the mills consumed 89.66 per cent of the cotton imported. 
In 1905 and 1910 there was bought a much larger amount than actually 
required, so that in 1906 and 1911, on account of the surplus, the 
imports were less than the consumption. In 1912 also, on account of 
the lower prices, there was imported considerably more than was 
required for that year and a large surplus was carried over into 1913. 

In the 20-year period the consumption of cotton in Japanese mills 
increased sixfold. As the mills work day and night any increase in 
the number of spindles means double the increase in cotton consump¬ 
tion that would take place in other countries. Owing to the longer 
hours worked both day and night in Japanese mills and the coarse 
counts manufactured, it does not take a very large increase in spindles 
to increase greatly the cotton consumption. At the present rate of 
progress it seems hkely, unless conditions change materially, that 
within 10 years Japan will rank after the United Kingdom and the 
United States as the largest consumer of cotton in the world. 


CONSUMPTION IN VARIOUS MILLS. 

In the table on page 28 is shown the relative consumption of various 
cottons by the Japanese mills as a whole. In the following table is 
shown the consumption of the various cottons in each Japanese mill 
during the first six months of 1913: 








































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


31 


Mills. 


Indian. American. Chinese. 


Kwan. 


Kwan. 


Kwcm. 


Egyptian. 


Kwan. 


Annam 

and 

Saigon. 


Kwan. 


All 

others. 


Kwan. 


Total. 


Kwan. 


Kanegafuchi. 

Miye. 

Fuji Gas. 

Settsu. 

Osaka Godo. 

Osaka. 

Nippon. 

Tokyo. 

Amagasaki. 

Kishiwada. 

Fukushima. 

Nisshin. 

Kurashiki. 

Wakayama. 

Sakai. 

Meiji. 

Naigai Wata No. 1 
Naigai Wata No. 2 

Tokyo Calico. 

Ozu Hosoito. 

Nippon Seifu. 

Ehime. 

Temma Orimono.. 
Takaoka Gomei... 

Sanuki. 

Matsuyama. 

Terada. 

Shikama. 

Osaka Orimono..,. 

Sanyo. 

Ki-Yo.. 

Handa. 

Owada. 

Watanabe.. 

Shimada. 


5,070,827 
4,076,697 
691,672 
3,076,177 
1,539,800 
1,310,899 


337,367 
258,157 
1,412, 740 
1,638,690 
40,161 
946,337 
703,296 
407,922 
262,532 
70,023 
263,912 
17,436 
63,148 
154,537 
161,917 
23,164 
121,399 
141,829 
178,488 
95,445 
66,925 
7,310 
107,035 
95,042 
55,055 
32, 789 
23,594 
332 


2,585,065 
1,673,337 
1,025,805 
711,833 
1,314,500 
1,199,492 
102,073 
416,695 
758,215 
227,358 
441,727 
503,134 
313,073 
221,350 
68, 744 
115, 823 
51,345 
140,036 
164,548 
131,023 
85,045 
142,239 
218,817 
20, 556 
23,638 
45,493 
17,716 
26,835 
77,953 
33,432 
17,192 
10, 768 
26,571 
11,092 
12,671 


257,866 
313,805 
352,245 
530,790 
279,400 
275,089 


94,497 
236,’250 


126,968 
’7i*487 
’56’676 


173,033 
72,268 


24,989 


150,355 
62,198 
160,680 
268,410 
23,891 
37,058 
265, 800 
171,859 
7,721 
23,878 
134,649 
10,741 
37,010 
20,880 
27,388 
22,253 
24, 708 
70,915 


131,538 
14,305 

3,138 

1,136 
21,813 





83, 726 



49,188 

58 
17,008 

3,585 







8,743 







11,562 
4,464 
21,206 
56,042 

2,280 
1,677 
3,973 










2,622 
19,105 


6,334 


1,445 


66,054 
19,079 
744 
8,693 


8,595 


6,521 


8,008,255 
6,363, 840 
2,378,240 
4,390,287 
3,133, 700 
2, 861,145 
494, 700 
1,040,229 
1,114, 688 
1,800, 778 
2,348, 827 
650,912 
1,345, 714 
1,211,039 
648,525 
386,076 
153,989 
538,597 
192, 725 
245,023 
266,603 
356,723 
320,276 
166,663 
236,382 
223,981 
115, 783 
112,865 
85, 263 
148,246 
178,288 
100,018 
60,104 
43,379 
13,003 


Total 


23,452,654 


12,935,194 


3,652,220 


956,528 


403,326 


334,944 


41, 734,866 


The spinning companies in the foregoing table are arranged in 
order of size, ranging from the Kanegafuchi, with 406,856 ring spin¬ 
dles, down to the Shimada, with only 1,736 ring spindles. The com¬ 
pany spinning the lowest average counts during the six months ended 
June 30, 1913, was the Owada, which had 4,484 ring spindles averag¬ 
ing No. 13 yarn. The company making the finest counts was the 
Nippon, with 106,612 ring spindles averaging No. 61.9, and 13,800 
mule spindles averaging No. 72.8. The Nippon is strictly a fine- 
yarn mill and uses only American and Egyptian cotton. The Kane¬ 
gafuchi mill makes some fine yarns but mainly low counts, averaging 
No. 19.4 during this period. 

YARN AND WASTE PRODUCTION. 

On June 30, 1913, there were 2,237,904 ring spindles and 49,360 
mule spindles, making a total of 2,287,264. The daily average of 
ring spindles working during the six months was 2,074,899, and they 
produced 36,358,702 kwan (300,577,389 pounds) of yarn averaging 
No. 23; the daily average of mule spindles working was 43,503, and 
they produced 176,379 kwan (1,458,125 pounds) of yarn averaging 
No. 47.7. The total cotton consumption was 41,734,866 kwan, or 
345,022,137 pounds, and the total yarn produced therefrom was 
302,035,514 pounds. This would indicate a yarn production of 87.5 
per cent, leaving only 12.5 per cent for waste. The waste produced 
in Japanese mills, however, is usually considered as 16 per cent, 
































































































32 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


some mills averaging much higher. The small per cent of waste 
shown is due to the fact that in the computation there is used the 
weight of the yarn as sold, which includes moisture added in condi¬ 
tion, and not tli£ actual weight of yarn as spun. Moreover, some of 
the waste from the better grades of cotton is reworked direct into 
lower counts in the same mill and is probably not weighed for inclu¬ 
sion as waste. 

The amount of cotton used depends more on the average counts 
made than it does on the number of spindles. For example, the 
Fukushima, which has only 82,976 ring spindles but averaged No. 
16.5, consumed 2,348,827 kwan, as against only 494,700 kwan con¬ 
sumed by the Nippon, which has a total of 120,412 ring and mule 
spindles averaging the high counts shown above. 

COTTONS USED BY VARIOUS MILLS. 

The companies using the largest amounts of cotton were the Kane- 
gafuchi, the Miye, the Settsu, the Osaka Godo, the Osaka, the Fuku¬ 
shima, and the Fuji Gas in the order named. The mills using the 
largest amounts of Indian cotton were the Kanegafuchi, Miye, 
Settsu, Fukushima, Osaka Godo, Kishiwada, and Osaka; the largest 
consumers of American cotton were the Kanegafuchi, Miye, Osaka 
Godo, Osaka, Fuji Gas, Amagasaki, and Settsu; the largest consumers 
of Chinese cotton were the Settsu, Fuji Gas, Miye, Osaka Godo, 
Osaka, Fukushima, Wakayama, and Kanegafuchi. Egyptian cotton 
was used in the Nippon, Fuji Gas, Tokyo, Kanegafuchi, Nisshin, 
Amagasaki, and Wakayama, all of which made more or less of the 
finer counts, though the Nippon is the only one exclusively on fine 
counts. 

The only mills using elapanese cotton were the Ehime, with 2,748 
kwan, and the Ozu Hosoito, with 2,280 kwan. These trifling amounts 
of Japanese cotton, with cottons from Chosen, Siam, Dutch East 
Indies, and Kwantung Province, are included in the column headed 
All others.” The Miye used the largest amount of cotton from Indo- 
China and various other small sources of supply. 

The bulk of the cotton used in Japan to-day comes a considerable 
distance, and the large consumption necessitates considerable stocks 
being kept on hand at all times. The amount of money tied up in 
raw material, with the extraordinarily high first cost of the mills, 
makes necessary a larger capitalization for both fixed and workmg 
capital than is required in most other countries. Hence it has been 
difficult for small mills, unless very strongly backed, to succeed in 
Japan for any length of time, and every recurring period of depression 
sees the failure of many small mills, which are bought up cheaply by 
the larger and stronger concerns or else they find themselves forced 
to amalgamate with a larger concern to avoid failure. 

It may be noted that the ordinary Japanese term for cotton is 
“wata”, though the term ‘‘menkwa”, meaning “cotton flower,” is 
used in some connections. American cotton is usually known as 
“beimen,” Indian cotton as “Indowata,” and Chinese cotton as 
“Shinawata.” Cotton in the seed is called “miwata” to distinguish 
it from ginned cotton, which is termed “ kuriwata.” 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


33 


FACILITIES FOR HANDLING COTTON AT KOBE. 


The Japanese imports of cotton in the calendar year 1912 were 
entered at the following ports: 


Ports. 

Unginned. 

Ginned. 

Quantity. 

Value. 

Quantity. 

Value. 

Kobe. 

Kin. 

11,265,600 

Yen. 

837,457 

Kin. 

407,717,300 

92,297,200 

27,642,000 

27.607.400 

25.379.400 
4,792,100 

560,700 

Yen. 

138,465,935 
32,286,501 
9,582,684 
8,689,392 
7,845,362 
1,902,475 
162,394 

Yokohama. 

Osaka. 

10,411,300 

1,052,004 

Yokkaichi. 

Moji.. 



Nagasaki. 



All other ports. 



Total. 



21,676,900 

1,889,461 

585,996,100 

198,934,743 



About two-thirds of the cotton imported into Japan is landed at 
Kobe. As raw cotton is the chief import into Japan, and the bulk of 
it is handled at Kobe, special facilities have been provided to handle 
it in the most efficient manner. Wada Point, at one corner of the 
harbor, has been specially set aside for cotton. On a sandy spit at this 
place the Tokyo Shoko Kaisha, about 1906, erected model warehouses 
for cotton only, ‘and these are under control of the customs officials 
stationed there. Stone piers were erected, the land brought to the 
same level, and sets of warehouses arranged along and extending back 
from this front. The warehouses have walls of brick and reinforced 
concrete, fireproof doors, galvanized-iron roofs, and solid concrete 
floors. Between each two warehouses are tracks on which run small 
flat cars. Some of the ships from China lie at the pier and the cotton 
is swung down to the small flat cars, which are then pushed to the 
door of a nearby warehouse and thence trucked to the building. 
Each mark is kept by itself, as there is ample room in the large ware¬ 
houses. Most cotton, however, is brought in by ships that stop at 
Kobe on their way to some other port, so these ships lie out a short 
distance, and the cotton is brought in by lighters and swung by pier 
cranes to the flat cars. There is ample room, the system of handling 
is economical, there is no danger of exposure to the weather or to 
theft; in fact the system of handling cotton is not excelled anywhere. 
A railroad runs back of the group of warehouses and lighters come up 
to the front. 

Osaka is the greatest cotton-consuming center and the larger por¬ 
tion of the cotton is transferred direct from the warehouses to lighters 
that are towed up the river to that city; a smaller portion goes out by 
rail. The Tokyo Shoko Kaisha keeps cotton 11 days in its warehouses 
if required, but if not shipped in that time it is trucked across to regular 
bonded warehouses directly beside the company’s warehouses, where 
it is kept until required. As previously noted, American cotton 
landed here is nearly always underweight, whereas Indian and other 
cottons usually come up to invoice weights. An inspection of the 
landing and handling facilities leads to the conclusion that the loss 
does not occur at this port, but before arrival. 

48895°—^14-3 























34 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


TRANSPORT OF INDIAN COTTON. 

Wlien the imports of Indian cotton began to increase the Japanese 
mills were hampered in their use of it by excessive freight rates. At 
that time the carrying trade between India and Japan was exclu¬ 
sively in the hands of a shipping combine composed of the Peninsular 
& Oriental Steam Navigation Co., the Austrian Lloyd, and the Navi- 
gazione Italiana, and these charged 17 rupees ($5.52) per ton on cot¬ 
ton carried from Bombay to Japan. Tata Sons & Co., cotton mer¬ 
chants of Bombay, who were desirous of increasing their shipments to 
Japan, opened negotiations for a competing line to give lower rates, 
and the Japanese Government and the spinners sent representatives 
to India to investigate conditions. In July, 1893, the first cotton 
transport agreement was made between five companies—the Kane- 
gafuchi, Miye, and Osaka (cotton mills), and the Naigaimen and the 
Nippon Menkwa (cotton importers) on the one hand, and the Nippon 
Yusen Kaisha and Tata Sons & Co. on the other—the two last-named 
agreeing to furnish one ship each. As the other companies belonging 
to the Japan Cotton Spinners’ Association were not parties to the 
agreement, the five companies feared that the Peninsular & Oriental 
would lower its rates to them and so put'those making the agreement 
at a disadvantage. They therefore used their best efforts to induce 
the members of the association to join with them to break the mo¬ 
nopoly of the Peninsular & Oriental, and in this they^were successful. 
On October 1,1893, the Japan Cotton Spinners’ Association in the name 
of all its members, spinning mills as well as cotton dealers, made a new 
Indian cotton transport agreement with the Nippon Yusen Kaisha 
for a period of one year. 

GENERAL FEATURES OF AGREEMENT WITH NIPPON YUSEN KAISHA. 

The principal points of this agreement were as foUows: 

The Nippon Yusen Kaisha agreed to arrange for one sailing a month 
to carry cotton from Bombay to Japan, and to arrange for one sailing 
every three weeks if possible. The members of the association guar¬ 
anteed a cotton cargo of 75,000 bales a year maximum, of which the 
Nippon Yusen Kaisha had to transport at least 50,000. If the Nippon 
Yusen Kaisha failed to furnish cargo space for this amount, then it 
had to pay the association an indemnity of 4 rupees for every ton of 
this amount it could not take, while if the membei*s of the association 
failed to supply 50,000 bales they were to pay 13 rupeesper tonon the 
quantity lacking. The cost of transport was fixed at the ruling rate 
of 17 rupees per ton, but subject to a rebate of 4 rupees per ton to all 
members of the association. Should other domestic or foreign steam¬ 
ship companies quote lower than 13 rupees, the Nippon Yusen Kaisha 
guaranteed to carry any cotton in excess of the 50,000 bales at the 
same rates as quoted by the outsiders. 

The representative of the Peninsular & Oriental objected to the low 
rates of this contract and to the inauguration of a new line, but without 
success. On November 7, 1893, the Nippon Yusen Kaisha initiated 
the new line to Bombay by the sailing oi the Hiroshima Maru from 
Kobe. As was expected the combine headed by the Peninsular & 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


35 


Oriental started sharp competition, lowering the cost of transport 
to 8 rupees and later to 1^ rupees. l*he members of the association, 
however, knew that as soon as competition was eliminated the rates 
would be raised, and adhered to their agreement. The competition 
became sharper and the cotton transport contract was changed in a 
few particulars on March 6, 1894. First, the Nippon Yusen Kaisha 
was guaranteed the entire transport of Indian cotton. Secondly, the 
rate of transport was to be lowered to 12 rupees (by raising the rebate 
from 4 to 5 rupees) and if competition was stopped this rate was not 
to he raised. Further, the Nippon Yusen Kaisha agreed to reduce its 
rates in proportion to any subsidy it might receive from the Govern¬ 
ment. It actually succeeded in getting a subsidy in 1896 for its serv¬ 
ice from Yokohama to Bombay, but this was canceled in April of the 
following year. In February, 1895, Tata Sons & Co. resigned from 
this agreement, and since then the Nippon Yusen Kaisha has had the 
exclusive right of transport for members of the association. 

POOL AGREEMENT OF COMPETING LINES. 

In June, 1894, a pool agreement was effected between the Nip¬ 
pon Yusen, the Peninsular & Oriental, Austrian Lloyd, and the 
Italian Line, covering the transport of merchandise between Bombay 
and Japan, including ports of call, and this stopped competition to 
a certain extent. The contract came into force July 1, 1896, and 
has been renewed yearly ever since. In this contract is arranged 
the number of sailings per year by each of the four lines, and if 
any company by reason of a strong demand for transport exceeds 
its apportioned number of sailings the profit or loss resulting there¬ 
from is divided among the four. The transporting company receives 
80 per cent of the total freight charged, after all rebates, expenses 
in connection with transshipment, etc., have been deducted. Of 
the remainder the Nippon Yusen and Peninsular & Oriental re¬ 
ceives each 32^ per cent, and the Austrian Lloyd and Navigazione 
Italiana each 17^ per cent. It is further agreed that any advantage 
which one of the four companies realizes by reason of a special con¬ 
tract with any other concern for the transport of merchandise (for 
instance, such as the contract between the Nippon Yusen Kaisha 
and the association) shall be divided among the four in a similar 
manner. If it should be necessary for a company to place cargo 
with another line, the other companies in this contract are considered 
first. No change of freight rates or of rebates can be made by one 
company without the permission of the representatives of the other 
tliree. 

This pool agreement between the four steamship companies has 
existed concurrently with the contract between the Nippon Yusen 
Kaisha and the association and both have been renewed yearly. 
The Nippon Yusen Kaisha has the monopoly of handling Indian 
cotton and the other companies get only such cotton as is given 
them by the Nippon Yusen Kaisha. Usually the Nippon Yusen 
Kaisha transports over 80 per cent of the Indian cotton shipped to 
Japan and gives the remainder to its partners in the pool agreement. 


36 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


PRESENT CONTRACT WITH NIPPON YUSEN KAISHA. 


The following is the latest contract between the Nippon Yusen 
Kaisha and the Japan Cotton Spinners’ Association, signed January 
15, 1913: 

The Nippon Yusen Kaisha hereby contracts to transport cotton to Japan from 
Bombay, Tuticorin, and Colombo, according to the following articles, with the 
undermentioned firms: 


Kishiwada Boseki Kabushiki Kaisha, 
Osaka Godo Boseki Kabushiki Kaisha. 
Sakai Boseki Kabushiki Kaisha. 

Tokyo Boseki Kabushiki Kaisha, 

Sanuki Boseki Kabushiki Kaisha. 

Ehime Boseki Kabushiki Kaisha. 

Miye Boseki Kabushiki Kaisha. 

Sanya Boseki Kabushiki Kaisha. 

Naigai Wata Boseki Kabushiki Kaisha. 
Osaka Boseki Kabushiki Kaisha. 
Kurashiki Boseki Kabushiki Kaisha. 

Fuji Gas Boseki Kabushiki Kaisha. 
Setten Boseki Kabushiki Kaisha. 
Amagasaki Boseki Kabushiki Kaisha, 
Wakayama Boseki Kabushiki Kaisha. 
Fukushima Boseki Kabushiki Kaisha. 
Nippon Boseki Kabushiki Kaisha. 
Kanegafuchi Boseki Kabushiki Kaisha. 
Matsuyama Boseki Kabushiki Kaisha. 
Nippon Seifu Kabushiki Kaisha. 

Ki-Yo Shokufu Kabushiki Kaisha. 
Temma Orimono Kabushiki Kaisha, 
Osaka Orimono Kabushiki Kaisha. 
Shikama Boseki Gomei Kaisha. 

Takoaka Boseki Gomei Kaisha. 

Meiji Boseki Goshi Kaisha. 

Tokyo Calico Seishoku MK. K. 

Ozu Hosoito Bosekijo. 

Watanabe Bosekijo. 

Shimada Bosekijo. 

Kaizuka Bosekijo. 

Nippon Menkwa Kaisha. 

Heibei Nakaiiishi. 

J. Yamamoto, 

T. Nishimatsu & Co. 

K. Koshimi. 

Y. I wata. 

Y. Iwata, as representing brokers of Ex¬ 
change Market at Osaka. 

Tominaka Goshi Kaisha. 

Komakichi Nagasawa. 

Suketaro Yatsushiro. 

Tata Sons & Co. 

E. Pabany. 

Jardine Matheson & Co. 

W. M. Strachan & Co. 

A. M. Esabhoy. 

C. lilies & Co. 

Comes & Co. 

M. Raspe & Co. 

Samuel Samuel & Co. 

Kobe Boyeki Shokai. 


Simon Evers & Co. 

Kanji Sometami. 

M. Futehally Sons. 

Shirasu Shoten. 

Heizaemon Hibiyu. 

Genjiro Nogama. 

Shoroku Nishikawa. 

Miye Zakka A; Co. 

Gosho Goshi Kaisha. 

American Trading Co. 

Mansuke Yamadzumi. 

Hyakujo Nakajima. 

Balbert Bros. 

Takenosuke Yuasa & Co. 
Mesajiro Kiya. 

Yamaguchi Gomei Kaisha. 
Yoshiji Toyohara. 

Otto Rimiel. 

Subel Wolf. 

G. Dossa & Co. 

Okura & Co. 

Senkichi Takata. 

Nippon Shogiyo Kaisha. 
Ushimatsu Takami, 

Sudzuki Shoten. 

Mitsui Bussan Kaisha. 
Takehayashi Yoko. 

E. H. Hunter <fe Co. 

Kiushichi Yoshikawa. 

Tobe Shoten. 

Sahei Sugiyama. 

Fukada Gomei Kaisha. 

Findlay Richardson & Co, 
Yokohama Kiito Gomei Kaisha. 
Chiogoro Shiba. 

Rio jo Kawara. 

Dodwell & Co. 

Cotton Bureau of Osaka Tokio. 
Kiyuemon Mantani. 

Jiugoro Ikeda. 

Yu Kee Hao. 

Carl Rhode & Co. 

Ishii Goshi Kaisha. 

Tomu-o Teramura. 

Yasujiro Kazima, 

Tomitaro Fukuzawa. 

Manju-o Yokoye. 

Takenari Branchi. 

Kiliachio Tsukamato. 

Chuo Selmen Kaisha. 

Chiu Ameiiomiya. 


Article 1 . The associated companies above contract to place their entire shipments 
of cotton into Japan from the said ports with the Nippon Yusen Kaisha. 

Art. 2. The Nippon Yusen Kaisha undertakes to make as quick despatch as pos¬ 
sible, but is at liberty to use either its own or other ships at its discretion and to ar¬ 
range its own times of departure and arrival, as also the ports of sailing and ports of 
call. 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


37 


Art. 3. The Nippon Yusen Kaisha agrees to reserve by preference for the transport 
of the above cotton two-thirds of the cargo space of its own or chartered ships, but 
this does not hold good for the cotton it gives to other companies. 

_ Art. 4. When cotton is shipped the association has the right to have a representa¬ 
tive at the shipping port to look after the interests of the consignees. 

Art. 5.^ The freight chargeable during the period of this contract on cotton handled 
by the Nippon Yusen Kaisha for the associated companies shall be based on the ton of 
40 cubic feet, or 2,240 pounds (with the exception of Tuticorin, where the ton shall 
be considered as 1,792 pounds), delivered on board ship, as follows, provided that all 
landing charges at Osaka or Kobe, such as charges for piers, lighters, storage, etc., are 
not payable by the Nippon Yusen Kaisha: Bombay to Osaka, Kobe, Yokohoma, 
Moji, or Nagasaki, 17 rupees; Tuticorin to Osaka, Kobe, Yokohama, Moji, or Nagasaki, 
20 rupees; Colombo to Osaka, Kobe, Yokohama, Moji, or Nagasaki, 15 rupees. . 

The above freight is to be paid at the time of loading at the three mentioned ports, 
and rebates shall be given to the representative of the association in Bombay as soon 
as the whole amount of freight has been paid in as follows: Exported from Bombay, 
per ton, 6.41 rupees; exported from Tuticorin, per ton, 6.874 rupees; exported from 
Colombo, per ton, 5.155 rupees. Provided that cotton transshiped at Colombo shall 
be rebated as much as that from Tuticorin if the bill of lading was issued at Tuticorin. 

Art. 6 . The Nippon Yusen Kaisha agrees to stop steamers at the port of Yokkaichi. 
at the request of the association, under special contract clauses to be given later. 

Art. 7. In case the Nippon Yusen Kaisha carries cotton to Japan from Bombay, 
Tuticorin, or Colombo, for any one not a member of the association then the amounts 
received from such transport, after deduction of the rebates, shall be paid to the asso¬ 
ciation. On the other hand, if the association ships cotton by any other steamers 
than those of the Nippon Yusen Kaisha, or steamers appointed by them, then it shall 
pay the Nippon Yusen Kaisha the full amount of such freight according to article 5, 
less the rebates. 

Art. 8 . Admission or resignation of a member from this contract requires the per¬ 
mission both of the association and of the Nippon Yusen Kaisha. 

Art. 9. When on account of natural calamity or other unavoidable circumstances 
the transport of cotton is made impossible, or when navigation is interfered with, 
then the execution of this contract may be suspended or cancelled in part or in whole. 

Art. 10. All rights and obligations which are in consequence of the above and 
which do not affect the entire association, but only a smaller or larger percentage of 
them, are only for those members concerned. 

Art. 11. This contract commences January 1, 1913, (2d year Taisho) and ends 
December 31, 1913, one full year. At the expiration or dissolution of this contract 
it may be renewed or discontinued. 

Two duplicates of this contract, signed and sealed by both parties, shall be kept as 
evidence of the contract by each party. 

Signed: January 15, 1913. 

Baron Renpei Kondo, 

President, Nippon Yusen Kaisha. 

Takeo Yamanobe, 

President, Osaka B. K. K. 

JlYUEMON TaKEWO, 

President, Settsu B. K. K. 

Sanji Muto, 

Manaqinq Director, Kaneqafuchi B. K. K. 

Tsunejo Saito, 

Director, Miye B. K. K. 

Magosaburo Ohara, 

President, Kurashiki B. K. K. 

Fusajo Taniguchi, 

Managing Director, Osaka Godo B. K. K. 

JiYOMO Terada, 

President, Kishiwada B. K. K. 

Toyogi Wada, 

Managing Director, Fuji Gas B. K. K. 

SUKETARO YaTSUSHIRO, 

President, Fukushima B. K. K. 

Seijiro Miyagima, 

Director, Tokyo B. K. K. 

Standing Committee of the Dainihon-hoseki-rengokai^ 

{Japan Cotton Spinners^ Association). 


38 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


TKe following clauses are hereby made part of this contract: 

1. A ship chartered for cotton transportation must be of the same class as 100 AI 
on Lloyds ships list or one having the same insurance rating. 

2. When the Indian cotton being carried to discharge at the port of Osaka is less 
than 1,000 tons then the Nippon Yusen Kaisha reserves the right to transport same by 
lighter from Kobe without participating in the insurance. 

3. If the privilege of loading cotton given under article 3 is expired at the time of 
a sailing from Colombo, provided it is during the season of cotton transportation, then 
it may be prolonged by mutual agreement between the manager of the Nippon Yusen 
Kaisha at Bombay and the representative of the association. 

4. The rights on ships chartered by the Nippon Yusen Kaisha for a one-way voyage 
will be a transaction to be decided for each case. 

5. The Nippon Yusen Kaisha agrees to send ships around by Yokkaichi, if reque.sted 
by the association, upon the agreement to pay 700 yen additional per 1,000 tons and 50 
sen a ton additional for all amounts exceeding this. 

6 . When cotton is being transported for Moji the Nippon Yusen Kaisha agrees to 
stop at Moji on its return trip to Japan, except in case the ship is chartered, when 
the cotton will be transshipped from Kobe down to Moji. 

7. Agents or branches of the associated steamship companies shall give to the repre¬ 
sentative of the association at Bombay, as early as possible, notice as to the name of 
ship to be loaded, the number of bales it can carry, the date of commencement of 
loading and of proposed departure, and in the case of an associated steamship com¬ 
pany going to charter any ships they may report privately the conditions of charter 
transactions. 

Baron Renpei Kondo, 
President, Nippon Yusen Kaisha. 

Takeo Yamaobbe, 

For Standing Committee, Dainihon-boseki-rengokai. 

The foregoing translation of the 1913 contract between the Nippon 
Yusen Kaisha and the Japan Cotton Spinners’ Association, has been 
given in full because of its far-reaching effect on the Japanese cotton 
industry. 

EFFECT OF AGREEMENT ON SPINNERS ’ ASSOCIATION. 

An important result of this transport agreement has been to effect 
a closer union of the members of the association and to enable the 
majority to enforce their will to an extent otherwise impossible. 
Many measures for the good of the industry as a whole, such as 
forcing mills to make finer counts and compulsory short time, have at 
times caused hardships to individual members whose interests were 
not always in line with those of the majority. If a mill, however, had 
failed to obey the dictates of the association and had resigned or been 
expelled, the cost of its chief raw material would have been raised, 
by reason of its having to pay the full freight rate, so that it would 
have been at a disadvantage in competing with the others. Indian 
cotton constitutes from one half to two-thirds of the cotton used in 
the Japanese industry, and every mill in Japan, with only one excep¬ 
tion, uses more or less Indian cotton. 

The mills do not themselves import, but place their orders through 
local cotton dealers and importers, and since August 1, 1896, the 
mills have refused to buy except through such dealers as have been 
approved and have become associate members of the association. 
This rule, together with the Indian cotton contract rules, has 
enabled the mills to safeguard their interests in their dealings with 
the cotton men. 

In another way the Indian cotton rebate has been of importance 
in that it has been the main lever available to the association for 
forcing up their exports of yarn and cloth. This fund was used to 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


39 


establish the lottery to encourage the Cliinese to buy Japanese yarn 
in 1908, and in the various other schemes to encourage the exporta¬ 
tion of yarn and cloth by paying premiums to exporters. Usually 
the funds necessary have been nominally levied on the mills in certain 
proportions, but with the proviso that if not paid in cash they should 
be deducted from the rebate amount in the hands of the association, 
and in actual practice most of the mills have paid their apportion¬ 
ments in this way. To have a charge deducted from an amount due 
one seems less a hardship than to have to pay out cash, so that this 
arrangement has facilitated the passing of various propositions 
relative to encouraging exports. 

During 1913 the Indian cotton imported amounted to 188,921 
tons. The nominal freight rates from Bombay, Tuticorin, and 
Colombo were 17, 20, and 15 rupees, respectively, but deducting 
rebates they amounted actually to 10.59, 10.126, and 9.845 rupees, 
respectively. The great bulk of the cotton came from Bombay, so 
that in round numbers the nominal freight paid on Indian cotton 
must have been about $1,100,000, and the rebate to the association 
about $400,000 for the year, which shows the importance of this 
special cotton transport contract. 


DEVELOPMENT OF COTTON MANUFACTURING. 


CHRONOLOGICAL SUMMARY. 

• 

The manufacture of cotton by machinery started in Japan in 1866 
with the establishment of a mill with 5,456 spindles at Isonohama, 
near Kagoshima, in the southern part of the island of Ciushiu. The 
first weave shed with power looms commenced work at Tokyo, with 
200 looms, in 1888. From these small beginnings has developed 
the cotton-manufacturing industry of Japan, the salient features of 
which can be seen from the following able: 


Years. 

Com¬ 

panies. 

Mills. 

Total spin¬ 
dles Dec. 
31 (associa¬ 
tion). 

Daily av¬ 
erage 
working 
spindles 
(govern¬ 
ment) .o 

Paid-up capital.o 

Consmnption of cotton.o 

Associa¬ 
tion re¬ 
turns. 

Govern¬ 
ment re¬ 
turns. 

Associa¬ 
tion re¬ 
turns. 

Govern¬ 
ment re¬ 
turns. 






Yen. 

Yen. 

Kwan. 

Kwan. 

18G6. 

1 

1 

5,456 






1871 . 

2 

2 

7'456 






1872 . 

3 

3 

8,204 






1879. 

4 

4 

lO' 204 






1880. 

5 

5 

12,204 






1881. 

7 

7 

16^ 204 





. 

1882. 

13 

13 

28' 204 






1883. 

16 

16 

43' 704 






1884. 

19 

19 

49' 704 






1885. 

22 

22 

59,704 






1886. 

22 

22 

71,604 

65,420 





1887. 

21 

21 

76,604 

70,220 





1888. 

24 

24 

116,276 

113'856 




I,807,0(i6 

1889. 

28 

28 

215,190 

215 ; 190 

7,499,525 



3 ; 859; 464 

1890. 

30 

30 

277! 895 

277,895 

8^ 737 ; 502 



5 ; 962; 484 

1891. 

36 

36 

353,980 

353 ;980 

8'477^274 

8,715,510 


8; 995 ; 295 

1892. 

39 

39 

385' 314 

385' 314 

11 ' 223 ' 737 

9 ' 103^ 237 


12 ; 240; 793 

1893. 

40 

40 

381,781 

38i; 781 

li;27i;O05 

11,271,005 

12,884,601 

11,531,307 

1894. 

45 

45 

530,074 

476,123 

13,308,030 

13,308,030 

17,946,897 

17,179,274 

1895. 

47 

47 

580,945 

518,736 

16,392,058 

16,392,058 

22,060,691 

21,771,346 

1896. 

61 

61 

757,196 

692,384 

22,860,709 

22,860,709 

24,885,334 

24,875,087 

1897. 

65 

74 

970,567 

768,328 

28,881,476 

36,414,728 

31,009,352 

32,068,243 

1898. 

74 

77 

1,146,749 

1,027,817 

32,500,226 

42,342,080 

38,689,052 

42 ; 544, ei56 

1899. 

78 

83 

1,189,929 

1,170,327 

33,720,777 

33,023,317 

44,747,123 

42,962,406 

1900. 

79 

80 

1,267,872 

1,144,027 

33,991,510 

35,908,512 

36,179,122 

38,323,770 

1901. 

66 

81 

1,295,598 

1,181,762 

34,645,435 

36,690,567 

37,902,304 

38', 681; 886 

1902. 

56 

80 

1,352,948 

1,301,H8 

31,659,521 

34,459,082 

42,854,230 

44,286,547 

1903. 

51 

76 

1,381,306 

1,290,347 

32,904,716 

34,405,329 

46,829,188 

45,521,389 

1904. 

49 

74 

1,345,585 

1,306,198 

32,262,230 

34,699,554 

39,468,121 

40,157,840 

1905. 

49 

78 

1,426, 594 

1,402,931 

34,331,700 

36,991,079 

50,794,860 

50,516,514 

190fj. 

47 

83 

1,472,353 

1,441,934 

36,546,350 

40,112,536 

53,312,820 

63,079,596 

1907.. 

42 

83 

1,540,452 

1,500,579 

52,754,125 

55,284,410 

55,213,959 

64,707,033 

1908. 

36 

86 

1,695,879 

1,403,034 

57,595,385 

52,417,903 

50,789,153 

49,496,645 

1909. 

37 

88 

1,954,892 

1,785,665 

62,759,000 

57,977,926 

58,758; 315 

58,726,909 

1910. 

36 

92 

2,099, 764 

1,896,601 

65,209,013 

59,315,626 

65,231,043 

66, 825 ; 340 

1911. 

34 

90 

2,170, 796 

1,901,290 

63,408,868 

61,696,079 

64,704,579 

65; 565; 730 

1912. 

41 

91 

2,176, 748 


68,439,245 

(c) 

76,347,818 


1913 b . 

45 

94 

2,287,264 


75,722,484 


41,734,866 

(«) 


a Statistics for earlier years not available. l)Six months. c Government returns not available. 


Other details, such as the increase in the number of operatives 
and in the number of looms, will be shown separately. The figures 
for the number of companies and the number of mills they owned 
show the tendency since 1896 to concentrate the industry in fewer 
hands. The figures of the Japan Cotton Spinners’ Association and 


40 



















































































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


41 


of the Government (the latter published in the Statistical Report of 
the Department of Agriculture and Commerce) as to the number of 
spindles do not conflict. The association figures give the total 
number at the end of each year, and the Government figures are 
the daily average working spindles. Owing to some difference in 
method of compiling or in the time of year when compiled, there is, 
however, a discrepancy between the figures of the association and of 
the Government for the amount of paid-up capital and the cotton con¬ 
sumption. The difference in most cases is not very material. 

EARLY HISTORY. 

FOUNDING OF FIRST MILL. 

The Daimyo Nariakira Shimazu, though he never saw a cotton 
mill, has been called the father of the Japanese cotton industry. He 
was the head of the old Kagoshima clan, in the Province of Satsuma, 
southern Kiushiu, when, shortly after the middle of the nineteenth 
century, some cotton yarn was brought in by a foreign ship. He 
was_ much impressed with the superiority of this machine-made 
yarn over the native hand spun and by the higher price that could 
be obtained for it. Pie became anxious to establish a mill to make 
such yarn in his Province, but died before he could complete the 
arrangements. His son Yoshimitsu decided to carry out his father’s 
idea, and finally, in 1865, ordered, through a Manchester mercan¬ 
tile house, the complete equipment for a small spinning mill. The 
machinery was supplied by Platt Bros. & Co., of Oldham, and on 
January 9, 1866, they shipped 3 mules and 6 throstle-spinning ma¬ 
chines, comprising a total of 5,456 spindles, with the necessary pre¬ 
paratory machines. After a six months’ trip around the Cape these 
arrived in Nagasaki Harbor on July 12, 1866, and were thence trans¬ 
ported to Kagoshima. Hero, near the seashore, the Daimyo estab¬ 
lished the first cotton-spinning mill in Japan and called it after the 
place Isonohama, which means Beach of Beaches. He hired Eng¬ 
lishmen to erect and operate the mill, the building for which was 
constructed entirely of stone at heavy cost. Coal he brought from 
Chikuzen, some 150 miles away, and as transportation facilities at 
that time were most primitive it proved very costly. Cotton had to 
be brought still further, most of it coming from the Provinces of 
Hiroshima and Osaka. 

The yarn made by this mill was much inferior to the foreign prod¬ 
uct, but was so much better than the hand spun that it enjoyed a 
great reputation throughout the country and was known as Iso-kasi, 
or the yarn of the beach. 

THE SECOND AND THIRD MILLS. 

Finding his mill located so disadvantageously as regards raw ma¬ 
terial, the Daimyo resolved to build another in a more central part 
of Japan, near the main cotton-growing section, and accordingly he 
ordered 2,000 more mule spindles. Owing to the disturbed condition 
of affairs preceding and following the year 1868, when the ancient 
feudal system headed by the Shogun was abolished and there oc¬ 
curred the restoration of the Emperor to the active control of the 


42 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


nation, the erection of this mill was delayed. In 1871, however, the 
second mill, known as the Sakai Spinning Mill, began work at Sakai, 
near Osaka. 

Just before the restoration the disturbed condition of the country 
resulted in exorbitant prices for commodities throughout Japan and 
caused much suffering. This was especially felt in Yedo (now 
Tokyo) and the Bakufu Government assembled all the wholesale mer¬ 
chants of the city and consulted with them as to means for reducing 
prices. A cotton cloth merchant named Mampei Kashima appealed 
to the Government to aid him in starting a cotton-spinning mill 
under the foreign system for the purpose of lowering the price of 
clothing materials. The following year, in 1867, the Bakuru Gov¬ 
ernment agreed to this and he ordered machinery from England. 
This arrived the next year in the midst of the restoration and had to 
be stored for the time in an importer’s warehouse. When the mer¬ 
chant had obtained aid from the new Government and wished to 
start operations those who were associated with him as partners 
had become dubious of the success of the enterprise and withdrew. 
Kashima persevered, however, and finally, after many mechanical as 
well as financial difficulties, got his small mill into operation in 1872. 
This Kashima spinning mill was the third established in Japan, but 
the first by a private individual. It contained only some 748 ring 
spindles and was located near the Takino River, in a suburb of 
Tokyo. 

By the end of 1872 there were in operation in Japan three small 
spinning mills, the Isonohama, the Sakai, and the Kashima, with 
8,204 spindles, of which it seems 6,000 were mule, 1,456 throstle, and 
748 ring. These mills attracted the attention of the Government, as 
well as of the people, especiallv in view of the fact that following the 
restoration the importation or cotton yarn and piece goods had in¬ 
creased greatly and had become the most prominent factor in creat¬ 
ing an adverse balance of trade. The total imports into Japan in 
the 10 years, 1868 to 1877, inclusive, amounted to 246,240,299 yen, of 
which cotton yarn and piece goods accounted for no less than 89,586,- 
600 yen, or over 36 per cent. 

GOVERNMENT AIDS DEVELOPMENT. 

In 1877 there occurred the civil war of Saigo, and though the dis¬ 
contented samurai were suppressed business conditions became very 
bad, as paper money became much depreciated and gold began to 
flow out or the country, leaving only the silver. To remedy this 
condition and to bring about a better trade balance, it became nec¬ 
essary to increase home production, and with the inexperience of the 
people in manufacturing by machinery and their lack of capital this 
seemed possible only with Government initiative and financial as¬ 
sistance. The Government therefore offered to import lots of 2,000 
spindles and to sell them to the people on 10 years’ time without 
interest, and to send Government experts to teach the operatives in 
each new mill how to use the machinery. The governors of the pre¬ 
fectures were also ordered to encourage people to take up the new 
industry. In 1878 the Government placed orders in England for the 
complete equipment of two spinning mills of 2,000 spindles each, and 
mills were erected for these in the cotton-growing sections, one at 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


43 


Kamiseno-muro, in Hiroshima prefecture, Aki Province, and the 
other at Okira-mura, in Aichi prefecture, Mikawa Province. In 1879 
the Government placed orders for 10 more sets of 2,000 spindles each, 
with all necessary accessories, and on their arrival mills were estab¬ 
lished at Hyogo, Osaka, Nara, Okayama, Miye, Yamanashi, Shidzu- 
oka, Tochigi, and Miyagi. These mills were all small, mainly of 2,000 
spindles each, and most of them were leased or sold to private parties. 

This Government aid greatly stimulated public interest in cotton 
spinning, and in 1879 a group of capitalists sent Mr. Takeo Yamanobe 
to England to study English methods. On his return the next year 
preparations were made to start a larger mill than any then existing, 
ancl Baron Shibusawa and others organized the first joint-stock 
s])inning company, calling it the Osaka Boseki Kabushiki Kaisha. 
This mill was erected in 1882 and began work in 1883, with 10,500 
spindles. The initial capital was 250,000 yen. This was soon after 
raised to 560,000 yen and a new factory built containing 20,820 
spindles. This company, with additions, still ranks as one of the 
largest in Japan. 

DEVELOPMENT IN LATER YEARS. 

RAPID EXPANSION IN THE 1886-1889 PERIOD. 

By 1886 the money market had again become secure and the rates 
of interest declined, so that the Government announced the founda¬ 
tion of the convertible note system, whereby Government paper was 
redeemable in silver, and issued bonds at 5 per cent to draw in all of 
the inconvertible paper money. This put business on a firmer 
foundation, and led many capitalists to invest their money in business 
enterprises in which there was a chance of better returns; a particu¬ 
larly large amount was turned into the cotton industry. In 1886 was 
founded the Miye, in 1887 the Tokyo, the Kanegafuchi, the Naigai 
Wata, and the Kurashiki, in 1889 the Settsu and the Amagasaki, all 
now large companies, and many others. In 1887 capitalists of Tokyo 
decided to start a weaving factory. They formed the Onagigawa 
Cotton Manufacturing Co. and commenced operations with 200 looms 
at Ozi, near Tokyo, in 1888. This was the nrst power-loom weaving 
factory in Japan. Shortly afterwards the Osaka Weaving Co. was 
formed, but it did not commence work until 1890, and in October of 
that year was taken over by the Osaka Boseki Kabushiki Kaisha. 
By the end of 1889 the cotton industry of Japan may be said to have 
become firmly established with 28 mills in operation, though these 
contained only 215,190 spindles and 200 looms. Not only cotton mills, 
but enterprises of all kinds were launched during the boom period of 
1886-1889, and stocks sold high by reason of the speculative excite¬ 
ment and the artificial stimulation. 

EFFECT OF DEPRESSION IN 1890. 

In 1890 this boom was followed by an acute business depression 
over the whole Empire, the effects of which lasted for two or three 
years. The spinning industry, for several reasons, was especially 
affected by the collapse. In 1884 some cotton had been brought in 
from India and in 1886 American imports were started with a sample 
bale, but the purchases of both were trifling and the mills, starting 


44 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


with Japanese cotton, were now running almost entirely on Chinese, 
with a mixture of the local cotton. These cottons were not fit for 
counts much above 12s, and though at first the mills made large 
profits by selling their yarn on the market in competition with the 
imported yarn, the demand gradually declined for the home product, as 
the material was not so soft or so lustrous as the imported, nor so well 
spun. In the face of the increasing output of the Japanese mills the 
imports of yarns, especially Indian, had increased rapidly up to 1888, 
and when the depression set in there was a stock of some 10,000 bales 
of foreign yarn at Kobe that had to be sacrificed at reduced prices, and 
this further demoralized the home industry. These conditions, with 
the very weak financial position of most of the mills, especially some 
of those started during tne boom, caused disaster. Some of the mills 
failed or changed hands, and even the strongest had difficulty in weath¬ 
ering the storm. This was tliie worst period in the history of the Japa¬ 
nese cotton industry, and but for steps taken by the Government and 
by the association of mills the industry would have been almost wiped 
out. 

REVIVAL IN 1892 AND 1893. 

In 1892 signs of reviving prosperity were shown by the founding of 
the Fukushima, Sakai, Kishiwada, and Matsuyama mills, followed in 
1893 by the Nippon, the Wakayama, and others. The mills, however, 
had been taught a lesson and saw that they could not continue to 
compete while using the inferior Chinese cotton, which, moreover, was 
rising in price with the establishment of spinning mills at Shanghai. 
They therefore turned to India for their raw material but found 
importation hampered by the high rates charged by the shipping 
combine. They then induced the Nippon Yusen Kaisha to start a 
line to bring cotton from Bombay by giving the company the entire 
business. 

The imports of Indian cotton soon increased and the mills began to 
make higher counts, especially 16s and 20s, for which there was ample 
demand in both the home and Chinese markets. They soon suc¬ 
ceeded in driving Indian yarns off the home market and began to 
offer strong competition in China. Until 1890 the Japanese mills 
had made entirely for the hand-loom weaving industry at home, but 
during the depression of 1890 they had sent a few sample bales to 
Shanghai and a few more in the two subsequent years. When, in 
1893, the depression had spent its force they found a foreign outlet 
essential for their expanding production, and from that time on began 
a more aggressive effort to capture foreign markets, especially the 
Chinese, which become their fixed goal. In the meantime American 
cotton was imported in increasing amounts, and the mills soon began 
to make yarns above 20s, using varying amounts of Chinese, Indian, 
and American, and on the higher counts using American cotton alone. 
The Nippon Boseki, founded in 1893, was the first to make a specialty 
of higher counts, using only American and Egyptian; it started the 
importation of Indian cotton in 1893, with 4,700 kwan (38,856 
pounds). This mill still makes the highest average counts in Japan, 
now averaging above 60s, though Egyptian cotton is now (1913) used 
in part by six other mills. 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


45 


EXPANSION FOLLOWING THE WAR WITH CHINA. 

By the time the industry was well estabhshed again and the mills 
were turning their attention to increasing their yarn trade in China, 
war broke out with that country. Business men at once took steps 
to place their affairs on a conservative basis, while new enterprises 
launched that year in consequence of the easy condition of the money 
market were brought to a standstill. The war, however, was of 
short duration—from August 1, 1894, to April 14, 1895—and then the 
receipt of a large indemnity and the glamour of victory disposed the 
public mind to new ventures. There was a large expansion of busi¬ 
ness, the cotton yarn export trade increased rapidly, and with a good 
home demand the mills made large profits and stocks reached new 
high levels. 

Many new mills were started in 1895 and 1896, of which the most 
notable were the Fuji Boseki and the Tokyo Gas Boseki; the latter 
planned to make lisle, or gassed, yarns to compete with the rapidly 
increasing imports of such yarns. These mills were amalgamated in 
1906 under the name of the Fuji Gas Boseki, now one of the largest 
companies of Japan. Of the other mills projected during this period 
(Sanuki, Kashu, Nippon Shokufu, Yao, Nippon Saislii, Tarui, Awaji, 
Sanshu, Banyo, Takasago, Harima, Akao, Ichinomiya, Kuwana, Tsu, 
Isetsu Saishi, Mino, Bizen, Nishidaiji, Fushimi, Heian, Fukuoka, 
Yamato, Washu, Kii, Yawatahama, Awa, Tosa, and Chuguku) only 
the Sanuki survives to-day under its original name; subsequently all 
the others either failed or became branch mills of stronger companies. 
The period following the war with China was one of great prosperity. 
In 1896 the plague broke out in Bombay, and this temporarily para¬ 
lyzed the Indian industry, so that Japanese spinners found little 
competition in China and promptly trebled their exports. 

ACUTE DEPRESSION IN 1897 AND 1898. 

In 1897 the silver standard was abohshed and gold was adopted. 
This created an unfavorable exchange with silver countries like China 
and prevented the exports from increasing rapidly. By this time, 
moreover, a reaction from the speculative boom following the Chinese 
War began, and though the industry was increasing in spindles and 
looms, and in both production and export, it was not on a stable basis. 
As money became tighter and tighter the banks not only raised their 
interest rates but exercised more caution in giving credit. The mills, 
having little fluid capital, found it difficult to finance their business; 
they called up the unpaid amounts on capital stock, but their stock¬ 
holders were in no position to help them, and they also found it impos¬ 
sible to raise money by means of debentures. Many capitahsts who 
had large holdings of mill shares had borrowed money on part of 
these shares with which to buy others, and in this way their stock 
holdings were altogether out of proportion to their actual means. With 
mills prosperous the shares were quoted very high, but as money 
tightened and shares fell in value the banks demanded increased mar¬ 
gins. The shareholders, many of whom had difficulty in financing 
some separate business of their own, found it extremely hard the meet 
the call for margins, and even if they did so by selling part of the 


46 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


shares or otherwise, they had nothing with which to pay additional 
calls from the mills. 

As the mills had little working capital and banks refused them the 
usual accommodations, they had to resort to every possible expedient 
to keep running. Many of them got their directors to indorse their 
drafts, where such course was possible. To keep in operation, many 
mills were compelled to negotiate successive loans on the material 
being worked up. They stored cotton in bonded warehouses and 
borrowed money on it, taking up the raw material for one day’s 
work only. When this material had been made into roving, the 
roving was packed and sent to the warehouse and the mill borrowed 
on the warrants. The next day the mill took delivery of enough 
roving for a day’s spinning, and at night the yarn was packed and 
sent to the warehouse and another loan negotiated. Thus, three 
loans were negotiated on the material during its conversion into fin¬ 
ished yarn, with heavy charges for interest, packing, cartage, etc. 
Some mills that enjoyed large credit from the cotton dealers obtained 
as much cotton as the dealers would give them on three to six months’ 
credit; this they stored in bonded warehouses with which to raise 
working capital; with a rise in price, this method was to their advan¬ 
tage, but any drop increased their losses. To raise the quotations of 
their shares the mills had been paying as large dividends as possible, 
but this had been done by neglecting reserves and writing off little 
or nothing for depreciation. Hence, when the reaction came and the 
mills suddenly fell from the heights of prosperity to the depths of de¬ 
pression, it was found they had practically no wmrking capital and no 
reserves to fall back upon. Many mushroom concerns failed, and as 
each failure made the banks more cautious in granting credit the 
situation became more difficult for those remaining, and their cred¬ 
itors became more insistent. 

GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE PREVENTS WIDESPREAD DISASTER. 

There was danger of a widespread collapse in the spinning industry, 
and as this would have been disastrous to the entire country, the eco¬ 
nomic condition of which was growing worse each day, the Government 
thought that the time had come to extend aid. 

In 1896 the Government had established the Hypothec Bank of 
Japan as a joint-stock company for the purpose of making long-term 
loans at a low rate of interest, secured by mortgages on immovable 
property, and this bank had opened in August, 1897. The Govern¬ 
ment ordered this bank to extend extraordinary help to industries that 
were in trouble, especially the textile industry, and to issue debentures 
for this purpose. At the same time the Government placed 5,000,000 
yen at the bank’s disposal in case the issue of debentures was not suc¬ 
cessful. The bank was instructed to proceed carefully in order not to 
cause undue inflation and to prevent the industries helped from relying 
too much on Government aid, thus doing more harm than good. The 
bank was instructed to investigate each case carefully before granting 
a loan and to consider whether the loan was justified by the mill’s 
prospects. 

The Hypotfiec bank officials met the mill men and others and in¬ 
stituted inquiries as to the resources and prospects of mills needing 
assistance and also engaged a competent engineer to make a valuation 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


47 


of each. The amount to be loaned to a mill was fixed at two-thirds 
of the valuation put upon it by the expert, and the rate of interest 
was fixed at 8 per cent. Redemption was to begin after one or two 
years, the entire amount to be repaid in eight to nine years. The 
bank made it a condition of every loan that 1^ per cent of the cost 
of the machinery should be written off each year for depreciation, 
and that 5 per cent of the net profits should be placed to a reserve 
fund before any dividend was declared. 

The loans extended during May, June, July, and August, 1898, 
amounted to 2,371,000 yen, two-thirds of which,was borrowed by 
the cotton industry alone and part of the remainder by other textile 
industries. 

This extraordinary help extended by the Government steadied the 
economic conditions and put the mills on a better basis. Upon ob¬ 
taining these long-term loans at the comparatively low rate of 8 per 
cent per annum the mills were able to pay off the short-time loans 
they had obtained from local banks at 10 to 12 per cent; they were 
also enabled to pay off the notes indorsed by their directors; to stop 
the losses due to storing cotton, roving, and yarn for short periods; and 
to improve their position in general. The repayment of the short- 
time call loans to local banks increased their cash in hand and this 
improved the condition of the money market and made credit easier, 
while the fact that the Government extended aid to the mills made 
creditors willing to hold off. The prices of mill shares again rose, and 
this bettered the position of many shareholders, as the margin required 
from them decreased. Altogether, this action by the Government 
saved the situation. In one way it improved the standing of the 
mills by the enforced writing off for depreciation and the accumulation 
of a reserve, as the mills that needed assistance most had previ¬ 
ously been most neglectful of such requirements. 

During 1899 yarn prices ruled low, but the mills had a fairly pros¬ 
perous year. There was some expansion, though the Osaka Godo 
was the only new mill of importance founded at that time. Favored 
by the low yarn prices the exports reached a record that was not 
attained again until 1912. 

EFFECT OF OVERPRODUCTION AND THE BOXER TROUBLES. 

The mills began the year 1900 in a much better position, though 
the increasing production had rather flooded the market with an 
excess of yarn that could be taken care of only by continuing to 
extend the exports. Then the Boxer troubles suddenly broke out in 
China. The cost of yarn transport was increased thereby from 2.50 
to 5 yen per bale and the marine insurance from 0.4 of 1 per cent 
to 1.2 per cent. As the trouble occurred in the section where Japan 
had been finding an outlet for a large portion of its shipments, exports 
suddenly dropped and the mills had to market most of their surplus 
at home. On account of the export of gold due to the adverse trade 
balance, the Bank of Japan had to raise its interest rates and money 
became tight. Those who had bought during the prosperous times 
had to sell at a loss and industrial shares were thrown on the market. 
The ensuing depression affected the whole country and the mills 
could not market their product. Most of the companies still had 
little working capital and in spite of the aid extended by the Govern- 


48 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


merit in 1898 were in an insecure position. As they could get no 
further credit from the banks, many failed. 

An extraordinary meeting of the spinners’ association was called 
June 16, 1900, and it was decided to ask the Government again for 
assistance, especially for those mills whose difhculties were due to 
stocks of yam for which they could find no market. The mills 
approached the Government, requesting aid on the ground that their 
money was tied up in permanent investments and in stocks of unsold 
goods and that they could not obtain sufficient working capital from 
the regular banks. The Government, however, refused on the 
ground that their unsound financial condition was due to their 
neglect of ordinary business precautions, and advised them to improve 
their methods of financing. 

FIRST LIMITATION OF PRODUCTION. 

On July 15, 1900, the association held another special meeting and 
decided to limit production. All mills making coarse yarns of No. 
20 and under were ordered to stop all night work from June 25 to 
December 31. Mills that for certain reasons objected to the stop¬ 
page of night work were allowed to substitute the entire stoppage 
of 40 per cent of their spindles. Breach of this obligation involved 
a fine of 1 yen a day for each spindle so operated, and the chairman 
of the standing committee was also authorized to ask for the expul¬ 
sion of the offending mill from the association. The cost of the 
inspection necessary to the strict enforcement of these rules was to 
be levied on each mill in proportion to its annual dues to the asso¬ 
ciation, and the fines were to be used for the same purpose. 

On October 18 it was debated and decided to continue the short 
time to the end of the year, and on December 17 it was decided to 
prolong short time to March 31, 1901. The exports of yarn and 
yarn prices had improved somewhat since October, but this was not 
considered sufficient to justify full production. 

On account of the difficulty in keeping their help together many 
mills changed from stoppage of night work to the complete stoppage 
of 40 per cent of their ^indies. Three mills stopped work entirely, 
but 11 mills were not affected by the short-time rules, as they made 
yarns finer than No. 20. On April 1,1901, the mills resumed full time. 

At the meeting on April 26,1901, a resolution proposed by the Kane- 
gafuclii company was carried to the effect that every mill at the end 
of the month should telegraph the office of the association its pro¬ 
duction of No. 20 yarn, and that the total be made known to all the 
mills, in order to stop the tremendous fluctuations of yarn prices in 
time transactions on the exchange. A fine of 5 yen was imposed 
for every delayed report. 

At the meeting on June 3, 1902, it was proposed either to form a 
syndicate to regulate yarn prices in the interior and to force up 
exports or to elect a committee to investigate the question of amal¬ 
gamation. The first proposition was postponed for further investi¬ 
gation, but the second was carried, though never put in force. 
Finally, it was decided to limit the production again by stopping four 
days and four nights every month for six months from July 1, 1902, 


• I 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


49 


the penalties being the same as during the previous short time. It 
was also decided to promote the exports of yarn and cloth by means 
of premiums. 


AMALGAMATIONS DURING 1899-1903 PERIOD. 

The increase in the number of mills and in production during the 
boom following the Chinese War had caused during the ensuing 
years an ever-increasing competition. Mills short of working capital 
suffered most, and this was especially noticeable whenever money 
became tight or the export trade fell off. The various expedients of 
working short time, promoting exports with premiums, etc., had 
effected little improvement and the general situation forced many 
of the weaker mills to amalgamate with the stronger ones to avoid 
outright failure. From 1899 to 1903 was especially a period of 
amalgamation. In 1899 the Kyushu absorbed the Kurume and 
Kumamoto, and the Okayama absorbed the Seidaiji. In 1899 the 
Kanegafuchi absorbed the Kashu, Sliimajima, Awaji, and the Shang¬ 
hai Spinning Co., and in 1903 added the Kyushu, Nakatsu, and 
Hakata. During this period the Osaka Godo took over the Temma, 
Chugoku, and Meiji; the Kyoto Flannel took over the Kyoto Spin¬ 
ning; the Miye absorbed the Ise; the Settsu took the Yamato and 
Hirano; the Kishiwada took the Senshu; the Fukushima took the 
Fukuyama; and the Fuji took over the Onagigawa Weaving and the 
Nippon Keumen. This tendency to amalgamate has been evidenced 
in the Japanese industry both before and since this period, but never 
on such a wholesale scale. 

The amalgamations increased the number of spindles and operatives 
under one head, and the larger concerns were able to effect improve¬ 
ments that tended to decrease their cost of production as compared 
with smaller concerns, such as getting morn favorable terms by pur¬ 
chasing raw material, coal, and supplies on a larger scale, by employ¬ 
ing the most competent managers, by improving their conditions of 
employment, housing, etc., so as to pick a better class of operatives, 
and by adjusting larger bodies of machinery to the work for which 
it was best fitted and avoiding the more frequent changes necessary 
in a smaller mill. 


GOLDEN ERA OF THE INDUSTRY. 

After two or three years of depression and changes, the mills again 
began to get on a good basis in 1903, but they were unable to expand 
gi'eatly owing to unsettled conditions due to the threatened war with 
Russia. When war was finally declared in 1904 there was at first a 
temporary decline, as the outcome was regarded with uncertainty, 
but with the gaining of a few initial successes the nation began to 
be more confident; the rice crop in that year was the greatest yet 
known, amounting to 51,000,000 koku, wheat was bountiful, and the 
cocoon crop excellent. Aided by these factors the home demand 
increased, and soon the great demand for yarns to make cloths for 
the army caused the mills to work at full capacity. As most of the 
operatives were women and girls there was little trouble as to help; 

4SS95°—14-4 



50 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


ill fact, by depriviij^ women of their breadwinners, the war caused 
many to seek work in the mills. 

With the resultant victory and the treaty of peace signed Septem¬ 
ber 5, 1905, the cotton and other industries were stimulated and the 
opening of new markets to their trade aided the boom. From the 
middle of 1904 to the middle of 1907 the mills had the greatest boom 
of their history and made huge profits; in fact, this is generally referred 
to as the ^'Golden Era’’ of the Japanese cotton industry. 

During this flush period 11 weaving and spinning mills were formed, 
with a nominal capital of 21,500,000 yen, of which 4,025,000 yen 
was paid up. Twelve mills increased their capital by 11,269,950 yen 
(the Fuji doubling its capital twice), of which 8,768,950 yen was 
paid up. Three mills issued debentures, for improvements and 
additions, amounting to 950,000 yen, and various mills planned 
increases that were reafized later. During this period the increase 
was in the extension of existing mills rather than in the estabhsh- 
ment of new plants, or just the reverse of conditions in the period 
following the Chinese War. 

In spite of the boom yarn exports did not increase, which was due 
partly to the improved demand at home for yarn for use on hand- 
looms and on the increasing number of power looms, and partly to 
the higher prices, which, with increased yarn shipments from India, 
made competition difficult on the Chinese market. 


REACTION IN 1907 AND FOLLOWING YEARS. 


The prosperity after the Russian War, like that after the Chinese 
War, was followed by a reaction, and there were significant fore¬ 
shadowings of this early in 1907, though it did not set in with full 
force until a little later. The money market began to tighten from 
the numerous demands on it caused by the many new industries and 
the numerous extensions, domestic loans, issue of exchequer bonds 
to meet the Government needs after the war, etc. The extensive 
credit granted during the boom was gradually curtailed and the mills 
again began to find it difficult to get accommodations. The value 
of industrial shares declined and several small banking firms failed. 
In consequence of the threatening outlook various weaving estab¬ 
lishments began to limit their production, but in spite of unfavorable 
economic conditions the spinning industry did fairly well up to the 
middle of the year. In October there was a money crisis in New York 
and silver prices dropped suddenly; with these added influences 
against it the Japanese industry, which had been running before the 
wind for three years, began to slow down. It was found difficult to 
obtain an outlet for the increased yarn production and prices fell, 
while, in response to an increased world demand, the price of cotton 
remained high, and the poor harvest in India especially affected the 
Japanese mills. 

Ilowever, at the beginning of this depression, the mills were in a 
more favorable position to endure it than ever before. Previous to 
the Russian War many mills had paid little attention to the question 
of depreciation, but the great profits made during the ‘‘Golden Era” 
had enabled them not only to write off large amounts for depreciation 
but to strengthen their reserve funds considerably and to keep up 
their share quotations by paying large dividends. 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


51 


SHORT-TIME WORK ORDERED IN 1908. 

The effects of the depression beginning in 1907 lasted several years, 
in fact, 1908, 1909, 1910, and 1911 were periods during which the 
mills, though expanding gradually, worked more or less short time, 
and this continued even into 1912. 

In 1908 the mills met the situation by suspending five days and 
nights a month during February, March, and April. A lottery sys¬ 
tem was also started to encourage the Chinese to buy coarse yarns. 
On May 1, 1908, the association ordered all coarse-yarn mills, with 
the exception of those weaving their yarn into cloth to be exported, 
to suspend 274 per cent of their total spindles and appointed inspectors 
to see that this was adhered to. This suspension lasted until October 
31, 1909. In spite of these expedients yarn prices continued to 
decline during the first part of the year, and as the mills were working 
on high-priced cotton bought during the preceding year, all suffered, 
except a few fine-yarn mills, and lost money on every pound of yarn 
turned out. In May, 1908, the price of yarn was lower than it had 
been since 1903, but cotton had also fallen until it was lower than for 
several years past, and as by that time the mills had used up their 
stock of cotton and were able to replace it with cotton bought at a 
lower price, their condition began to improve somewhat; moreover, 
from May on, the price of yarn showed a tendency to rise. During 
the year, however, both yarn and cloth exports, influenced largely 
by the unfavorable exchange created by a heavy drop in the price 
of silver in China, declined considerably, so that the year as a whole 
was very unfavorable. 

During 1908 the price of Indian Broach in Japan averaged 27.4.56 
yen per 100 kin, and American cotton 35.99 yen per 100 kin, while 
the average price of 20s warp was 108.27 yen per 400-pound bale. 
With a manufacturing cost of about 20 yen per bale, the mills were 
not able to make much profit with the usual mixture of one-fourth 
American and three-fourths Indian. Consequently many mixed in 
considerable quantities of the cheaper but harsher Chinese cotton, 
but the yarn produced was so inferior that much of it was found 
unsalable. 

In the latter part of 1908 the money market began to improve, as 
owing to unfavorable commercial conditions there was little demand 
for capital for new enterprises and the domestic loan was being 
reduced. The yarn demand that had been held back since the spring 
began to make itself felt gradually, while the available supply had 
been decreased by the short time and also somewhat by the large 
amount of unsalable yarn produced by the mills in their efforts to 
cheapen production. In the last two months of 1908 and the first 
part of 1909, however, the demand again declined. After March 
business again picked up and with improved export conditions for 
both yarn and cloth the price of yarn increased and reached a much 
' higher level than in the preceding year. The export of yarn was 
benefited by the scheme adopted by the Japan Cotton Spinners’ 
Association of paying a bounty to the mills on all coarse yarns 
exported. 


52 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN 


CONTINUANCE OF SHORT TIME DESPITE TRADE EXPANSION. 

With the improvement in the home and foreign markets the mills 
became more confident, and a considerable number of new spindles 
and looms were added during the year. In spite of the improved 
conditions the increased output due to the addition of new spindles 
was still too large for the demand, and with a great rise in the price 
of cotton the mills on November 1, 1909, decided to continue short- 
time operation, though the percentage of spindles to be stopped was 
decreased from to 20 per cent. This short time lasted until 
September 1, 1910. 

In 1910 there was a large expansion in the export trade in both 
yarn and cloth. Yarn prices rose to a much higher level, but the cost 
of cotton ruled so high that the mills were not able to force up the 
price of yarn to a point that would afford them much profit, so they 
decided to continue and to increase their short time. On October 
1, 1910, the association ordered 27^ per cent of the spindles stopped, 
and this suspension was continued until March 31, 1912. During 
the same period the association extended its bounty system to include 
exports of both fine and coarse yarns as well as of cloth made of 
coarse yarns. 

Yarn ruled very high at the opening of 1911, but it gradually 
declined, though the general level was higher than in 1910. Yarn 
exports, which went mostly to Central China, decreased by reason of 
the Chinese revolutionary disturbances and the famine in the Yangtze 
Valley. The cloth exports were not so much affected, in fact they 
were rather aided by the disturbances, which interfered with the 
Chinese home weaving, and the exports to Manchuria through Dalny 
increased largely. Korea had also been annexed to Japan and the 
exports thereto, though now classed as domestic trade, increased 
tremendously. 

During 1912 the exports of both yarn and cloth reached new levels. 
China, the main outlet, was becoming more settled and confident 
under the new Republic and exchange had become more favorable. 
The association decided that under these conditions the export trade 
needed no further encouragement, and after March 31, 1912, the 
export bounties on yarn and cloth were discontinued; at that time 
the suspension of spindles was also annulled, with the exception of a 
stoppage of only four days and nights a month for six months, and 
after September 30, 1912, all restrictions were removed and the 
mills have since operated full time. During 1912 few new spindles 
were put in operation, but large numbers were ordered and these 
began running in 1913. 

EFFECT OF SHORT TIME ON DEVELOPMENT OF INDUSTRY. 

During the period of varying short time in 1908, 1909, 1910, and 

1911, the existing mills, ever hopeful of better conditions, had grad¬ 
ually increased their spindles, but the fact that the industry worked 
short time did not encourage outsiders to venture in and few new 
mills were established. With the greatly improved conditions in 

1912, and especially after the mills had started on full time again, 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN, 


53 


several new mills were projected for 1913. Part of these were placed 
in operation during the year, but in the fall fear was expressed that 
the increase in production from all mills running full and from new 
mills started would result in overproduction, and some of the pro¬ 
jected mills were abandoned and others postponed to await develop¬ 
ments. The short-time years encouraged rather than retarded the 
installation of looms, as the cloth mills did better than the yarn mills. 
The association, with a view to evening up the discrepancy between 
weaving and spinning and to increase the outlet for yarn, exempted 
from the short-time regulations all spindles making yarn to be woven 
in the factory concerned into cloths for export. 

During 1913 the prosperity that started to make itself felt so 
strongly during 1912 continued in full force, and the mills increased 
their export business greatly and made large profits. With higher 
cotton and the fear of the increased production overtaking the demand, 
however, the mills seem to be trimming their sails for whatever may 
come and are not now declaring (in December, 1913) as huge divi¬ 
dends as their stockholders think justified in view of the large profits. 
Yarn and cloth prices ruled very high during 1913, reaching new levels, 
though there was some decline in the latter part of the year from the 
high-water mark of August. 

CHIEF FACTORS AFFECTING DEVELOPMENT. 

In the upbuilding of the Japanese cotton industry the mills have 
been greatly hampered by lack of money and experience, as well as 
by the lack of sldlled operatives and the difficulty, under their 
system of transient girl operatives, of creating and maintaining a 
trained force. The first cost of the mills is so great that, with high 
interest charges and high taxes, which have been greatly increased 
since the Russian War, the manufacturers have resisted all attempts 
by the authorities to enact regulations that would interfere with night 
work. 

The mills have been greatly favored by a supply of extremely 
cheap labor and by freedom from laws prohibiting long working 
hours. They have also been enabled to keep down the cost of raw 
material by varying the mixings and thus setting off one cotton 
against another in a way that is not permissible in countries maldng 
th^e higher classes of goods that require a single grade of cotton. 

Most of the yarns and cloths produced by Japanese mills are made 
from a mixture of Indian, American, and Chinese cotton, and the 
low cost of raw material thus obtained seems to aid the manufacturers 
in their struggle for the Chinese market as much as does their cheaper 
labor, especially as the labor is very inefficient. Japan ships cotton 
yarns and cotton goods to many countries, but its one large market 
IS China, where it finds competition on yarn from India and cloth 
from the United States. The publications of the Japan Cotton Spin¬ 
ners’ Association, as well as remarks by spinners, indicate that they 
fear the future competition of Chinese mills more than they do the 
American and Indian. The Chinese cotton industry is small but devel¬ 
oping, and if the tariff is raised, as now proposed, the Chinese may 
quickly become a strong factor in the situation. For this reason the 


54 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN 


Japan Cotton Spinners’ Association has already petitioned the Gov¬ 
ernment to use its influence against any increase in the low customs 
duties of Cliina. 

PRESENT STATUS OF COMPANIES. 

The status of all cotton-spinning companies in Japan on June 30, 
1913, as shown by the Japan Cotton Spinners’ Association, was as 
follows: 


Companies. 

Capital. 

s 

Authorized. 

Paid-up. 

LIMITED LIABILITY, 




Yen. 

Yen. 

Kanegafuchi. 

15,927,650 

12,646,290 

Miye. 

10,250,000 

7,768,450 

Fuji Gas. 

16,000,000 

11,999,250 

Settsu. 

3,500,000 

2,652,800 

Osaka Godo. 

4,000,000 

4,000,000 

Osaka. 

5,000,(XK) 

4,687,500 

Nippon. 

2,750,000 

2,750,000 

Tokyo. 

4,800,000 

4,800,000 

Amagasaki. 

5,000,000 

2,840,000 

Kishiwada. 

2,400,000 

1,799,725 

Fukushima. 

1,356,250 

1,356,000 

Nisshin. 

10,000,000 

3,500,000 

Kurashiki. 

1,500,000 

1,050,000 

Wakayama. 

1,.300,000 

1,300,000 

Sakai. 

1*200,000 

900,000 

Naigai Wata. 

5,000,000 

3,125,000 

Tokyo Calico. 

2,000, OCX) 

2,000,000 

Nippon Seifu. 

,2,500,000 

2,313,469 

Ehime. 

875,000 

568,750 

Temma Orimono. 

1,000,000 

950,000 

Saniiki. 

450,000 

390,000 

Matsuyama. 

750,000 

375,000 

Osaka Orimono. 

700,000 

700,000 

Sanyo. 

1,000,000 

400,000 

500,000 

Ki-Yo Shokufu. 

500,000 

OTHERS. 



Meiji. 

1,000,000 

1,000,000 

Ozu Hosoito. 

400,000 

400,000 

Takaoka.. 

100,000 

100,000 

Terada. 

500, (XX) 

500, CX)0 

Shikama. 

70,000 

70,000 

Handa. 

80,000 

80,000 

Owada. 

50'000 

50,000 

Watanabe. 

100,000 

100,000 

Kawashima. 

100,000 

40,000 

Kaizuka. 

100,000 

77,500 

100,000 

Shimada. 

77,500 

BUILDING. 



Asahi. 

5,000,000 

1,658,175 

Izumi. 

1,500,000 

750,000 

Oita. 

1,500,000 

375,000 

H inode. 

1,200,000 

300,000 

Naniwa. 

1,000,000 

350,000 

Banshu. 

1,(X)(),000 

250, CXX) 

Nagasaki. 

1, OCX), 000 

250,000 

Osaka Meriyasii. 

600,000 

450,000 

Mishima. 

500,000 

250,000 

Total. 

115,536,400 

82,522,909 


Reserves. 

Spindles. 

Looms. 

Ring. 

Mule. 

Twisting. 

Yen. 

7,155,275 
4,726,913 
2,618,912 
3,350,000 
1,048,000 
1,900,000 
1,421,394 
' 288,759 
2,132,242 
1,377,000 
950,000 
175,000 
510,000 
344,506 
403,118 
1,883,206 
107,000 
180,045 
35,000 
194,000 
156,400 
169,600 
16,300 
3,500 
56,689 

406,856 
272,824 
164,288 
156,552 
140,156 
134,340 
106,612 
110,388 
100,992 
96,840 
82,976 
67,320 
59,032 

57.496 
39,328 
29,412 
28,464 
12,672 
16,084 
14,080 
10,728 
10,368 

7,392 

6,912 

5.312 

32,064 

20.496 
10,920 
10,080 

8.312 
4,992 
4,484 
2,720 
2,372 
2,304 
1,736 


51,448 

14,432 

44,424 

4,475 

5,312 

972 


27,640 
1,260 

23,096 
7,752 
53,120 
28,308 
31,400 

400 

4,554 


13,800 

884 
1,783 







27,836 





6,000 

1,500 

1,584 

752 

800 

933 

688 

450 




6,660 


1,920 


776 







3,800 

1,064 

40C) 



300 


3,080 

8,308 




10,000 

















304 



































5,000 





























31,217,859 

2,237,904 

49,300 

309,672 

23,783 


On June 30, 1913, the cotton mills of Japan had a total of 2,287,264 
spinning spindles (including ring and mule), 309,672 twisting spindles, 
and 23,783 looms. The number of mule spindles is small and tends 
to decrease, absolutely as well as relatively. 

































































































































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


55 


IMPROVEMENT IN FINANCES—CONTROL OF CHINESE MILLS. 

The total paid-up capital was 82,522,909 yen ($41,096,408), of 
which 77,889,734 yen ($38,789,087) represented the capital of the 
active mills and 4,633,175 yen ($2,307,321) the capital of mills being 
built. The complete first cost of a spinning mill, without weaving, 
is given as 50 yen, or about $25, per spindle, and of a weaving mill 
alone as about 800 yen, or about $400, per loom, but as a whole the 
industry shows a much lower capitalization per spindle. This is 
especially true of some of the larger mills, and it shows how the 
financial position of the mills has improved over what it was before 
the Russian War. Since that time not only have increases been 
largely paid for out of profits, but the reserve funds have been raised 
greatly. The reserve fund of the largest companies runs into the 
millions of yen, and that of the Settsu is larger than its paid-up 
capital. 

In addition to factories in Japan, some of the Japanese companies 
control mills in China. The Kanegafuchi owns a controlling interest 
in the Shanghai vSpinning Co. by reason of 10,000 shares (20 taels 
paid for each share) that it took over from the late Kennshi Boseki 
Kaisha. This mill is stated to have about 60,000 spindles and 520 
looms. Mitsui Bussan Kaisha is the selling agent. Mitsui Bussan 
Kaisha also controls the Wuchang Spinning Co., with 90,000 spindles 
and 750 looms. The Naigai Wata Kaisha conducts a 20,000-spindle 
mill at Shanghai and the Nippon Boseki an 18,000 spindle mill at 
the same place. The latter is being extended. In addition, the 
Japanese are interested in other Chinese mills and it is reported that 
a mill is projected, by Japanese and Chinese jointly, at Tientsin. 

LOCATION OF MILLS. 

The first mills in Japan were located mainly with reference to the 
local cotton fields and the centers of the hand-loom weaving industry. 
After the Chinese War labor became so scarce by reason of the 
increased demand that many of the mills were placed with reference 
to a supply of help; the Sanuki mill, opened in 1896 on one of tlie 
larger islands, is typical of these. Examples of mills located with 
reference to cheap motive power are the Fuji, at the foot of Fujiyama, 
which avails itself of the water power there developed, and the Miye 
mill, in Chikugo, which was located in the neighborhood of one of 
the largest coal-producing centers of Japan. As the industry came to 
rely exclusively on imported cotton, and as the export trade devel¬ 
oped and internal transportation facilities increased, the mills grad¬ 
ually began to locate near the most favorable selling centers in order 
to be in close touch with the market. Osaka is the great center of 
the cotton trade and is also favorably situated for export business, 
hence the larger number of the mills are grouped around that city, 
with another group around Tokyo, where they are in close touch with 
the greatest financial center and also convenient to Yokohama. More 
recently, with the growing difficulty of securing help and the improve¬ 
ment in transportation and telegraph facilities, etc., for keeping in 
touch with the market, some of the mills have begun to locate with 
reference to the labor supply as considered in connection with a 
convenient port. 


5G 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN 


OSAKA THE CENTER OF INDUSTRY. 

About three-fourths of the spindles are now contained in the Pre¬ 
fectures of Osaka, Tokyo, Hyogo, Aichi, Shidzuoka, and Okayama, 
in the order stated. The city of Osaka, which the Japanese call the 
‘‘Manchester of the East,’’ is the center of the industry. Osaka with 
some 1,500,000 inhabitants is the second city of Japan, ranking next 
to Tokyo, and it is increasing at a rapid rate. It not only contains 
the largest number of spindles but is the center for buying and selling 
cotton, cotton yarn, and cotton cloth; it is the headquarters of the 
largest dealers, of the Three-Products Exchange, and of the Japan 
Cotton Spinners’ Association. Some of the goods are exported direct 
from Osjilva and some through Kobe, which lies some 20 miles down 
the river, so that these two constitute practically one port for the 
cotton industry. Yokohama is the greatest export port of Japan, 
owing to the shipment of raw silk, while Kobe ranks as the largest 
import port owing to its receipts of raw cotton; but Kobe is also 
steadily increasing as an export center with the growth in the exports 
of cotton manufactures. The bankers of Tokyo take the exports 
of raw silk as a barometer of the prosperity of their section, while the 
Osaka bankers take the exports of cotton goods as the barometer of 
prosperity in central Japan. 

Since June 30, 1913, the number of active mills has been increased 
by the placing in operation of the Osaka Meriyasu (Osaka Knitting) 
with 10,048 spindles, the Oita with 16,648 spindles, the Hinode with 
12,000, and the Izumi with 10,000. Spindles have also been added by 
the Osaka, Settsu, Miye, Sanuki, Wakayama, and others; Muring 
December the Mishima was expected to start with 12,000 spindles and 
further additions are to be made in several other mills. The Asahi, 
which was started to make cloth for the Manchurian trade, has been 
absorbed by the Kanegafuchi. ‘ In view of the great increase in the 
export trade the mills are expanding and by June, 1914, expect to have 
some 2,500,000 spindles in operation. As they work night and day 
these are equivalent to more than 5,000,000 spindles in other countries 
working only in the day and shorter hours. 

PRINCIPAL MILLS. 

Japanese cotton-spinning mills vary in size from one of 406,856 
spindles to one of only 1,736 spindles. The leading spinning company 
is the Kanegafuchi, which is followed by the Miye, Fuji Gas, Settsu, 
Osaka Godo, Osaka, Nippon, Tokyo, and Amagasaki, all of which have 
over 100,000 spindles. Of the 36 active mills only 16 contain looms; 
of these, the Miye, Osaka, Kanegafuchi, and Amagasaki have over 
1,000 each. There are no companies operating looms only, and com¬ 
panies having looms not only spin yarn for weaving but also make a 
surplus for sale. 

MILLS OPERATED BY THE KANEGAFUCHI COMPANY. 

The Kanegafuchi Boseki Kabushiki Kaisha—Kanegafuchi Spinning 
Company (Ltd.)—is the chief cotton-manufacturing company of 
Japan. On June 30, 1913, it was operating mills as follows: 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


57 


Place. 


Spindles. 


Prefecture and Province. 


Looms. 


Port. 


Spinning. 


Twisting. 


Sumida Mura 
Shibajima Mura.... 
Suminodo Mura.... 
Nakanoshima Mura 

Kobe. 

Takasago. 

Okayama. 

Shimoishii Mura.... 
Nishi Oder a Mura.. 

Sumoto. 

Miike. 

Kurume. 

Hakata. 

Kumamoto. 

Nakatsu. 


Tokyo, Musachi. 

Osaka, Settsu. 

-do. 

Wakayama, Kii. 

Hyogo, Settsu. 

Ilyogo, Harima. 

Okayama, Bizen. 

-do. 

-do. 

Hyogo, Awaji Island. 

Fukuoka, Chikugo (Kiushiu) 

-do. 

_do. 

Kumamoto, Higo. 

Oita, Bungo. 


77.432 
18,036 
10,368 
11,136 
81,020 

31.520 
13,680 

39.432 
10,624 
35,872 
30,336 
14,760 

11.520 
10,752 
10,368 


20,900 

100 





8,800 

1,180 


973 

15,400 

654 

1,012 

6,040 




206 

308 

350 


Yokohama. 

Osaka. 

Do. 

Do. 

Kobe. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Moji. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 


406,856 


51,448 


4, 475 


a Mura is Japanese for village. 


The distance by rail from the Kanegafuchi mill at Tokyo to their 
mill at Kumamoto, on the island of Kiushiu, is 825 miles, which may 
surprise some who think of Japan as a place of short distances 
because of its small area. 


HISTORY OF KANEGAFUCHI COMPANY. 

The Kanegafuchi company was organized in 1887, with a capital of 
1,000,000 yen, and established its first mill, with 29,000 spindles, near 
Tokyo in the Kanegafuchi district of the village of Sumida. This 
district of the town lies along the river, and the story is that in old 
times a sacred temple bell was lost there in the river, hence the name 
Kane-ga-fuchi (Beach of the Bell) was applied to this district and 
therefore to the mill- located there. The Kanegafuchi uses a temple 
bell as one of its cotton yarn brands. 

Six years later the Kanegafuchi established another mill at Tokyo 
(Tokyo Mill No. 2), which was followed by the erection in 1895 of the 
Hyogo No. 1. Mill at Kobe. By 1899 the Kanegafuchi had 83,640 
spindles. Then came the depression of 1900 and succeeding years, but 
as the Kanegafuchi was strongly backed it took over a large number of 
weaker mills that were in difficulties and emerged at the end of 1903 
as the leading cotton-spinning company of Japan, with a total of 
218,080 spindles and a capital that had been raised to 5,803,400 yen. 
It contained no looms until after the Russian war, when it began with 
100 at Hyogo (Kobe). With the unprecedented demand for yarn 
and cloth after this war the Kanegafuchi began to make some of the 
finer yarns and also to pay more attention to weaving. It com¬ 
menced a gassed-yarn mill at Tokyo in 1906, which was completed 
the next year. 

In January, 1907, the capital of the company was doubled and a 
coarse-yarn mill of 28,860 spindles started at Takasago, as well as a 
silk-waste mill of 10,200 spindles at Kyoto. In August of that year 
the amalgamation of the Nippon Kemmen Boshoku Kaisha (Japan 
Silk & Cotton Spinning & Weaving Co.) with the Kanegafuchi raised 
the capital by 2,400,000 yen, and the company built another mill of 






























































58 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN 


20,000 spindles at Sumoto. By further amalgamations and pur¬ 
chases the Kanegafuchi has increased to the 406,856 spindles and 
4,475 looms of June 30, 1913, and it is now adding more spindles and 
has completed plans for taking over the new Asahi weaving mill, which 
was planned especially for the Manchurian trade. The Miye still 
exceeds it in weaving capacity, but the Kanegafuchi seems planning to 
become the leader in cloth as well as in yarn production. The Kanega¬ 
fuchi pays dividends of 12 to 16 per cent, but it is conservatively 
managed and a large proportion of the profits is always placed to the 
reserve fund. In addition to its cotton business, the Kanegafuchi has 
five silk mills, located at Kyoto, Kamikyo, Shimikyo, Okayama, and 
Shimmachi, with a total of 56,032 spindles. 

JAPAN COTTON SPINNERS’ ASSOCIATION. 

Upon the initiative of Mr. Okadi, manager of the Government 
cotton-spinning mill in Mikawa, representatives of some of the small 
mills of that time met in Osaka in August, 1882, to form an associa¬ 
tion. The object was to get acquainted and also to put a stop to 
price-cutting competition, from which all the mills suffered. After 
the association was formed the members met yearly on April 15, but 
nothing of importance was transacted except that in 1886 the mills 
agreed thereafter to use the English system of yarn numbering. The 
mill representatives met chiefly with the object of having a social 
time and of discussing matters connected with the technical side of 
the industry, as is the case with similar organizations in the United 
States and Europe to-day. The only obligation was that one mill 
should loan another operatives in case it was short of skilled help to 
train its green hands. The Osaka Boseki, with 10,500 spindles, was 
by far the largest mill, most of the others having 2,000 to 3,000 spin¬ 
dles, and there were only 14 mills in the organization. 

CONDITIONS LEADING TO REORGANIZATION. 

As the number of mills increased there was strong competition, 
especially from new mills which did not belong to the association and 
which tried to make use of their independent position. Yarn dealem 
took advantage of the situation and the industry in general suffered. 
At the same time Indian yarn offered strong competition on the home 
market and the mills singly were unable to combat it successfully. 
They therefore joined efforts to lessen competition as much as prac¬ 
ticable in order to check the imports and to improve yarn conditions 
by a general agreement as to sales and production. At the invita¬ 
tion of the Osaka, Tamashima, and Owari companies, representatives 
of both new and old mills met in June, 1888, and a reorganization of 
the association was effected. The object of the association was stated, 
explicit rules were laid down to govern the conduct of all the mills 
in certain cases, and a standing committee was appointed as the 
executive authority. This was the sixth meeting of the manufac¬ 
turers but really the beginning of the association of to-day. 

RULES ADOPTED BY ASSOCIATION. 

The various rules of the 1888 meeting were embodied in 36 para¬ 
graphs. The main principles laid down were as follows: The mem¬ 
bers were to foster mutual good feeling and cooperate with each other 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


59 


in improving the position of the industry. They were requested to 
improve the quality of their yarns and to avoid the production of 
an inferior article, in order to retain the confidence of the consumers 
and to maintain the reputation of machine-made yarn. Any mill 
niaking yarn more than an eighth heavier than the count by which 
it was sold was to be warned by the committee. Every member 
was to submit to the association 10 skeins of No. 16 yarn made by 
his mill and a comparison was to be made as to the weight, the 
turns twist per inch, the firmness, the elasticity, and the general 
appearance. Regulations were made in case the consumers com¬ 
bined to interfere with the sale of the products of the association. 
Rather detailed conditions were laid down in regard to the treatment 
of operatives. Every member obligated himself to give a certificate 
to every good worker leaving his employ and to notify the other 
members in case of the discharge of unsatisfactory workers. Mem¬ 
bers thus notified were forbidden to employ the discharged workers, 
except with the permission of the mill that had discharged them. 
Members were forbidden to entice labor away from each other. 
vStrikes were to be reported immediately and the names of the strik¬ 
ing operatives, and such strikers could not be given employment 
in the industry. In case of a strike interfering with the work of a 
mill the association on request had to furnish enough labor to keep 
the mill in operation. Every mill was bound to accede to the re¬ 
quest of another associated mill to furnish trained operatives to 
teach new workers, or else unskilled labor could be sent to another 
mill to be taught. Every mill had to make reports to the association 
monthly dealing with the conditions of production and changes in 
yarn quotations. 

Further, it was decided to publish a monthly paper containing 
reports from the various mills and data in regard to cotton and cot¬ 
ton spinning at home and abroad. A committee of one was to be 
selected at every annual general meeting to represent the association 
and to be responsible for its general management and to take care of 
the deposits made by the members. The annual meeting was to 
take place, alternately at Osaka and Tokyo, on April 15. In case 
of trouble in the yarn market a special meeting should be called. 
Every member had to be present either in person or by proxy. 
Regulations were also made as to admission of members, resignations, 
expulsions, contributions, and liquidation of the association. 

FINANCIAL AKRANGEMENTS. 

Every member, on election, had to deposit a guarantee fund, in 
accordance with his number of spindles, as follows: Over 50,000 
spindles, 700 yen; over 25,000 spindles, 500 yen; over 10,000 spin¬ 
dles, 300 yen; over 7,500 spindles, 250 yen; over 5,000 spindles, 200 
yen; over 2,500 spindles, 150 yen; over 1,000 spindles, 100 yen; 
over 100 spindles, 50 yen. 

Out of this guarantee fund Government bonds were to be bought 
and deposited in bank. Any increase in spindles necessitated an 
increase in the guarantee deposit. This deposit could not be used 
except with the consent of the association. In case of resigna¬ 
tion the entire deposit was to be returned, and in case of a decrease 
in spindles a portion thereof. 


60 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN 


Yearly contributions were apportioned according to the number 
of spindles as follows: Over 50,000 spindles, 70 yen; over 25,000 
spindles, 50 yen; over 10,000 spindles, 30 yen; over 7,500 spindles, 
25 yen; over 5,000 spindles, 20 yen; over 2,500 spindles, 15 yen; 
over 1,000 spindles, 10 yen; over 100 spindles, 5 yen. 

The yearly contributions were therefore fixed at one-tenth of the 
guarantee money and special levies were to be in proportion to the 
ordinary. 

Should a member break the rules of the association and thus do 
hurt to their mutual interests his name could be published in the 
daily papers, on consent of a majority of the members, and his guar¬ 
antee money be forfeited in whole or in part. In such case he must 
bring up his guarantee money to the regular amount within one 
month. 

These rules could be changed at a general meeting and rules and 
regulations carried by a majority at a general meeting were to be 
absolutely binding on every member. 

The rules passed at the 1888 meeting came into force April 1, 1889, 
and were signed by all mills with the exception of the Kanegafuchi 
and Kurashiki, and these joined in June, 1889. 

AMENDMENTS TO RULES IN LATER YEARS. 

At the end of 1890 the rules were amended to permit the election 
of associate members, the following clause being added: Cotton and 
cotton-yarn dealers and cloth manufacturers whose interests are 
identical with those of the spinning mills can be elected associate 
members as representing either their enterprises or themselves. In 
the meetings they shall have the same rights as members, so far as 
discussion and voting are concerned. 

In later years there were other changes in various paragraphs, of 
which it is only necessary to note that in 1896, taking effect August 
1, 1896, the members of the association were forbidden to buy cotton 
through any dealer who had not been approved and elected an 
associate member. 

GENERAL RULES NOW IN FORCE. 

The rules laid down at the special meeting in October, 1902, are 
those in force to-day, and are as follows: 

1. The association is called the Dainihon-boseki-rengokai (Japan Cotton Spinners’ 
Association) and its office is in Osaka. 

2. The object of the association is the mutual friendship of the members and the 
protection and encouragement of their mutual interests. 

3. Spinning mills, weaving mills, or twisting mills wishing to join the association 
have to communicate with the association and first obtain the sanction of the president 
of the association. In addition, those producing cloth in the Japanese fashion, and 
also cotton dealers and cotton yarn dealers can be elected associate members. 

4. Regular as well as associate members must make a guarantee deposit as well as 
share in the expenses of the association. 

5. Regular and associate membeis can resign from the association at a week’s notice. 

6. Regular members can be expelled as the result of a general meeting, whereas 
associate members can be expelled by the standing committee. 

7. The meetings are divided into two classes, ordinary and extraordinary. The 
ordinary meetings take place yearly in Osaka. At this meeting the yearly report in 
regard to the affairs of the association is published, also a statement of accounts 
rendered for the previous year, the budget of expenses for the next year discussed, 
and the standing committee of the association elected. Extraordinary meetings can 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


61 


be called by the chairman of the committee or at the request of one-fifth of the 
members. Proposals to come before the ordinary general meeting have to be com¬ 
municated to all the members two weeks ahead and proposals to come before an 
extraordinary meeting one week ahead of such meetings. 

8. Members can vote by proxy, the proxy to produce a certificate showing that 
he is duly representing the member. 

9. No definite motions can be passed at a general meeting unless there is a majority 
present. It is, however, permissible to adopt propositions provisionally. These 
have to be put before a new meeting to be called within one month. At such meet¬ 
ing the proposition can be adopted even without a quorum. 

10. The associate members have the right of discussion and voting in general meet¬ 
ings wTien the object of the meeting is one that concerns both regular and associate 
members mutually, llow^ever, associate members have no voice in the election of 
the committee nor in the case of a proposition dealing with changes in the rules. 

H. The regulations and order of business are entirely in the hands of the com¬ 
mittee. 

12. In the general meeting seven regular members are elected as a standing com¬ 
mittee to manage the affairs of the association for the ensuing year. The committee 
elects the president. The salary of the president and also the fees of the other mem¬ 
bers of the committee are decided at the general meeting. 

13. Any vacancy on the committee will remain unfilled unless the number of mem¬ 
bers decreases to less than three. When a committee is elected in an extraordinary 
meeting the rules concerning the election are the same as in ordinary general meet- 
ings. 

14. The association has a secretary and several office assistants, whose nomination 
and discharge are in the hands of the chairman of the committee. 

15. In regard to the guarantee deposits required under rule 4, one can deposit 
instead of money public bonds which are not in the name of the owner and of which 
the market value is at least equal to the amount of money required. The guarantee 
amounts required are according to the following basis: 

Yen. 


Members possessing over 100,000 spindles. 1, 000 

Members possessing over 50,000 sinndles. 700 

Members possessing over 25,000 spindles. 500 

Members possessing over 10,000 spindles.,. 300 

Members possessing over 7,500 spindles. 250 

Members and associate members whose enterprise is organized as a company, 

with over 5,000 spindles. 200 

Members possessing over 2,500 spindles and associate members whose enter¬ 
prise is not organized as a company. 150 

Members possessing under 2,500 spindles... 100 


16. The association year begins July 1 and ends June 30 of the next year. 

17. Ordinary and extraordinary contributions are paid by the regular members 
according to the number of their spindles. Associate members on a company basis 
are treated as if they possessed 5,000 spindles, all others as if they possessed 2,500 
spindles. How'ever, the apportionment of special contributions carried at the general 
meeting can be arranged according to a different method and some can be freed 
entirely from contribution. 

18. The regular contributions are payable twice a year—viz, in June and December. 
These contributions are never repaid under any circumstances. 

19. The calculation of the number of spindles mentioned in paragraphs 15 and 17 
is on the following basis: One spindle for the production of yarn up to and including 
No. 28 counts as one spindle; every two mule spindles and every two spindles for 
the production of yarn from No. 29 to No. 38, inclusive, count as one spindle, (the 
diameter of the front rolls for these yarns is 1 inch); every three spindles for yarn from 
No. 39 to No. 60, inclusive, as also every three spindles of weft spinning machines, 
count as one spindle; every five spindles for the production of yarn above No. 60, as 
also every five doubling spindles, count as one spindle; every loom counts as five 
spindles. 

20. Every regular member of the association has to report on prescribed forms the 
business condition, yarn production, and yarn trade conditions on the 5th of every 
month for the preceding month; they also have to furnish any information asked for 
by the association concerning these as far as possible. 

21. Members can not engage workers under contract with a mill belonging to the 
association without the permission of the mill where they are engaged being obtained. 

22. With the object of excluding heavily-watered Chinese cotton a testing labora¬ 
tory is maintained by the association. A special account is kept for this laboratory 
and its rules are made by the committee. 










62 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN 


23. The conditions of the cotton contracts between regular and associate members 
are laid.down in a special form. 

24. The association can be liquidated only by a majority of over three-fourths of 
the regular members. 

25. The rules can be changed, except as in paragraph 24, only through a motion at 
a general meeting. 

In addition to the above 25 rules as passed in 1902 ordinary par¬ 
liamentary rules were prescribed in regard to the conduct of meet¬ 
ings. 

KEPORTS REQUIRED. 

The detailed reports mentioned in paragraph 20 are as follows: 

1. Regular members have to return by the 5th of the following month, on blanks 
drawn up by the association, the following: (a) Report showing the business results 
of the month; (b) report showing the production of yarn for the month; (c) report 
showing the production of cloth for the month; (d) report showing the yarn exported 
during the month. 

2. Regular members have to report either by telegraph or telephone, on the second 
of every month the total number of bales of No. 20 warp and of No. 16 weft, as also 
the total yarn, produced in the previous month. Should the second day be Sunday, 
then the reports have to be made by the third. 

3. Regular members have to make semiannual reports, viz, January 15 and June 15, 
concerning the following: (a) The consumption of ginned cotton; (b) the amount of 
yarn exported; (c) the stock of cotton at the end of the half year (this not to be pub¬ 
lished in connection with the name of the mill); (d) the quantity of each kind of 
cloth produced on power looms; (e) the financial results of the business (when not 
possible in exact figures, then an approximation). 

4. When members or associate members have imported cotton from Bombay, Tuti- 
coriii, or Colombo, they have to inform the association, on the arrival of every ship, 
the number of bales, the port of shipment, kind of cotton, and marks and numbers. 

5. Members or associate members, who have bought or delivered such cotton 
from the 1st to the Jlst of the month have to report to the association the quantities 
and qualities by the 5th of the following month. Members or associate members who 
have bought or sold Chinese cotton have to report the quantities by the 5th of the 
following month. 


EFFECTIVE ORGANIZATION. 

The foregoing detailed rules, as translated from the report of Dr. 
Hikotaro Nishi on the Japanese spinning industry, show a very close 
organization. In other cotton-manufacturing countries there are 
associations among the manufacturers, but none so compact and uni¬ 
fied as the Japanese and none where the rules and penalties as laid 
down by the majority have been so strictly enforced. 

One factor that has held the association together and caused the 
mills to adhere to regulations which in many cases were against their 
financial interests individually is the cotton contract, previously de¬ 
tailed, whereby the Ni])pon Yusen Kaisha is given the entire trans¬ 
portation of -Indian cotton and grants rebates to members of the 
association, any mill resigning or being expelled from the association 
therefore having to pay an increased price for its chief raw material. 
These rebates are paid direct to the association and distributed by 
it to the members concerned, and as the yearly rebate runs up into 
the hundreds of thousands of dollars this gives the association a lever 
that can be used at any time, at the will of the majority, in pro¬ 
moting exports; in fact, it has been so used several times. In the 
second half of 1909 the regulations made by the majority, at the 
instance of the mills of the Kwansai section, around Osaka, for pro¬ 
moting exports at the general expense of the association, and for 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


63 


short-time working were considered by the fine-yarn mills of the 
Kwanto section around Tokyo as against their interests, for the fine- 
yarn manufacturers found their market at home and were able to 
market their full production. Fear of losing the rebates, however, 
kept them from withdrawing from the association and finally their 
objections were overcome by a compromise. This was aided by the 
Nippon Yusen Kaisha, which could not afford to lose the contract 
with the association in order to please a smaller group, yet which 
did not wish to alienate the latter. 

association’s part in development of industry. 

The Japan Cotton Spinners’ Association has been a leading factor 
in the development of cotton manufacturing in Japan, the more so 
as it has been in a position to make its decrees effective. Probably 
its most important meeting after the general reorganization in 1888 
was the conference of 1890, when the first general short time was 
ordered and when regulations were laid down in regard to the promo¬ 
tion of an export trade in cotton yarn, the use of better raw material, 
the manufacture of finer counts, the combating of imports, the im¬ 
provement of the financial position, and other subjects that have 
been the basis of much of the work accomplished since that time. 
It established the exchange for cotton, cotton yarn, and cotton 
cloth, which was opened at Osaka January 21, 1894. The efforts 
of the association to have the export duty on yarn and the import 
duty on raw cotton abolished were finally successful on July 1, 1894, 
and April 1, 1896, respectively, and the association was also infiuen- 
tial later in obtaining higher duties on imported yarns and cotton 
manufactures. The association made the rebate contract with the 
Nippon Yusen Kaisha in 1893 and has since renewed this yearly. 
On August 1, 1896, it took steps to stop the importation of excessively 
watered Chinese cotton and also refused to deal with cotton mer¬ 
chants who were not approved and accepted as associate members. 
In 1898 it persuaded the Government to extend financial aid to the 
mills and in June, 1899, obtained Government assistance in facili¬ 
tating credit on yarn exports, which made the exportation of yarn 
much easier. Since then it has ordered several short-time periods 
to meet varying conditions and has tried various expedients to 
promote exports. The association was also largely responsible lor 
many of the amalgamations in the Japanese industry, and its influence 
has deterred the Government from enacting a law to restrict the 
work of women and children. 

Without its compact organization and the regulations and strict 
penalties enforced by the association it is certain that the Japanese 
cotton industry would not have been able to attain the position it 
holds to-day. A few mills would have been able to withstand the 
various crises through which the industry has passed, but they 
could not have regained their position so easily, while the progress 
of the industry would have been slower and marked by more failures. 

The Japan Cotton Spinners’ Association became a member of the 
International Federation of Master Cotton Spinners and Manu¬ 
facturers’ Associations in 1907, in accordance with a resolution 
passed at the general meeting of April, 1906. 


64 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN 


PUBLICATIONS. 

The Japan Cotton Spinners’ Association publishes data in regard 
to the industry that are much more detailed than any published by 
the Japanese Government, or by any other Government, not excepting 
in most respects the census of manufactures taken by the American 
Government. On the 25th of every month the association issues a 
printed pamphlet of some 30 pages giving the details of spindles 
operated, total operatives, wages, etc., in every mill in the country, 
and also including many articles on the home and foreign trade. 
Especial attention is given to market and consular and other reports 
on the Chinese demand. Every six months the association issues 
a resume of the preceding half year (with, in many cases, a 10-year 
comparison) showing the following details: 

1. Authorized capital, paid-up capital, reserve funds, ring spindles, mule spindles, 
twisting spindles, and looms in each mill in operation or being built. 

2. General business condition of spinning, showing spindles in active operation, 
average yarn produced, yarn produced in total and per spindle, waste made, coal 
consumption, average price of coal, total operatives, and average wages. 

3. List of each kind of raw cotton used by each mill. 

4. List of all raw cotton imported from each country. 

5. Number of bales of yam of each count and kind (weft, warp, ply, or gassed) 
produced by the industry. 

6. Number of bales of yarn produced by each mill. 

7. Yarn imports, by countries. 

8. Cotton yarn produced, imported, exported, and remaining for consumption in 
the country. 

9. Stocks of cotton yam in Kobe and Osaka warehouses. 

10. Amount of money borrowed on promissory notes, and on promissory notes with 
security, from banks in Kobe and Osaka. 

11. Prices, highest, lowest, and average, for cotton yarn Nos. 16 and 20, and for 
Indian Broach and American Upland cottons at Osaka. 

12. Cotton-yarn exports, by countries. 

13. Bales of each yarn count exported by each mill. 

14. Highest and lowest prices realized on the Shanghai market for the leading 
brands of Japanese yarns. 

15. Comparison of bales of Indian and Japanese cotton imported into Shanghai. 

16. Price of silver in London and exchange at Shanghai. 

17. Cloth production of each weaving mill showing number of active looms, days 
operated, hours per day, yards of cloth woven, yarn consumed, waste made, total 
number and average wages of operatives. 

18. Production in yards of each kind of cloth by each weaving mill. 

19. Exports of cloth, by varieties. 

20. Imports of cloth, by countries. 

21. Exports of cloth, by countries, including that ‘ ‘transferred’ ’ to Korea (Chosen). 

22. Knit-goods exports, by countries. 

23. General condition .of business of all limited-liability spinning companies, 
showing for each the authorized and paid-up capital, the reserve fund, liabilities, 
’permanent investment, depreciation written off, amount brought forward from last 
account, net profit, dividends paid, amount deposited to reserve funds this period, 
amount carried forward, and rate of dividend. 

24. Mill-share quotations on Osaka Stock Exchange, highest, lowest, and average, 
for this period. 

In addition there is a charted diagram showing for the last 10 
years (with exact figures on the back) the progress in bales of yarn 
produced, bales of yarn exported, market price of No. 20 yarn, 
price of Indian Broach cotton, and Shanghai exchange in taels per 
100 yen. 

With this detailed information at his disposal the average Japanese 
cotton manufacturer probably knows more about the progress of 
his industry and can judge better the course of supply and demand 
at home and abroad than cotton manufacturers in any other country. 


PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION OF YARN. 

CHRONOLOGICAL SUMMARY. 

According to statistics published by the Japan Cotton Spinners’ 
Association the production and consumption in Japan of machine- 
made cotton yarn have been as follows, in bales of 400 pounds each: 


Years. 


1868, 

1869, 

1870, 

1871 

1872 

1873, 

1874, 

1875, 

1876 

1877 

1878 

1879 

1880 
1881 
1882 

1883 

1884 

1885 

1886 

1887 

1888 

1889 

1890 

1891 

1892 

1893 

1894 

1895 

1896 

1897 

1898 

1899 

1900 

1901 

1902 

1903 

1904 

1905 

1906 

1907 

1908 

1909 

1910 

1911 

1912 


Supply. 

Exports. 

Used in 
Japan. 

Produc¬ 

tion. 

Imports. 

Total. 

Bales. 

Bales. 

Bales. 

Bales. 

Bales. 

1,500 

12,196 

13,696 


13,696 

1,500 

19,727 

21,227 


21,221 

1,500 

29,542 

31,042 


31,042 

1,983 

26,561 

28,544 


28,544 

2,182 

43,446 

45,648 


45,648 

2,182 

31,761 

33,943 


33,943 

2,182 

34,962 

37,144 


37,144 

2,182 

44,978 

47,160 


47,160 

2,182 

49,000 

51,182 


51,182 

2,182 

50,118 

52,300 


52,300 

2,182 

91,314 

93,456 


93,496 

2,714 

78,571 

81,285 


81,285 

3,246 

95,324 

98,570 


98,570 

4,310 

92,421 

96,731 


96,731 

7,502 

84,324 

91,826 


91,826 

11,625 

82,135 

93,760 


93,760 

13,221 

70,683 

83,844 


83,844 

15,881 

71,385 

87,206 


87,206 

15,568 

82,101 

97,669 


97,669 

23,159 

110,988 

134,147 


134,147 

31,862 

158,132 

189,994 


189,994 

67,046 

142,703 

209,749 


209,749 

104,839 

106,361 

211,200 

31 

211,169 

144,980 

57,792 

202,772 

108 

202,664 

204,950 

81,028 

285,978 

109 

285,869 

214,758 

64,684 

279,442 

1,051 

278,389 

292,400 

53,143 

345,543 

11,796 

333,747 

366,689 

48,637 

415,326 

11,776 

403,550 

401,614 

66,713 

468,327 

43,249 

425,078 

511,236 

53,636 

564,872 

140,116 

424,756 

644,504 

53,099 

697,603 

229,445 

468,158 

757,315 

27,369 

784,684 

341,203 

443,481 

645,432 

30,170 

675,602 

208,333 

466,269 

660,509 

19,982 

680,491 

209,172 

471,319 

770,853 

8,993 

779,846 

197,481 

582,365 

801,738 

3,539 

805,277 

307,201 

498,076 

695,212 

1,792 

697,004 

257,307 

439,697 

905,536 

7,450 

912,986 

267,383 

645,603 

945,165 

18,843 

964,008 

267,346 

696,662 

983,482 

5,952 

989,434 

226,472 

762,962 

878,570 

4,551 

888,121 

167,842 

715,279 

1,025,244 

3,204 

1,028,448 

258,879 

769,569 

1,134,780 

1,016 

1,135,796 

347,633 

788,163 

1,129,267 

1,843 

1,131,110 

285,009 

846,101 

1,352,209 

1,895 

1,354,104 

374,932 

979,172 


HAND MANUFACTURE. 

Before the introduction of machinery into Japan the local cotton 
was ginned, carded, spun, and woven by hand. The methods were 
very primitive but they did not differ materially from those custorn- 
ary in other countries at that time or from those still used to-day in 
many sections of the world, especially in some parts of China and 
India. 

GINNING AND CLEANING. 

The cotton after being picked and dried in the shade was ginned 
by hand. The old form of gin consisted of two small wooden rollers, 
which had handles on opposite ends, and which were fixed in a stand. 

48895°—14-5 65 
























































































66 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


Two men revolved the rollers by means of the handles while a third 
fed in the cotton; as the rollers were set close together the lint was 
drawn through and away from the seed. At a considerably later 
period the two rollers were connected by cogs and were turned with 
one handle. One man operated the machine by turning the handle 
with his right hand while he fed in the cotton with his left. This 
improved ginning arrangement was called a wata-kuri’’ and was 
similar to the churka’’ hand gin still used in India. The production 
(.f an able-bodied man on either is only about 5 kin (6.6 pounds) a day. 

After being ginned the lint was dried in the sun and then opened 
up and freed of dirt, leaf, etc., by a primitive scutching arrangement 
consisting only of a bow, which was called a wata-kuri-yumi.” 
This was similar to, though not so good as, the bow contrivance used 
in India to-day, called a dhunetta.’’ The bow was about 4 feet 
long; the top part was thinner and more curved than the shorter 
part at the bottom. The string consisted of a cotton cord. The 
bow was held so that the string just touched a pile of lint. The 
string was then struck, by a ‘‘takehira’’ made of bamboo, and caused 
to vibrate, its vibrations knocking up a portion of the cotton in a 
fluffy mass and thus loosening it up and separating it from its im¬ 
purities. About 1855 the Japanese imported an improved form of 
bow from China. With this a woman could turn out about 5 kwan 
(41 pounds) a day, as against a former average production of about 
5 kin (6.6 pounds), and it found ready sale and adoption. This bow 
was better made and the string Avas of bull or whale gut. This was 
called kara-yumi,’’ or Chinese bow. The cleaned lint was rolled up 
on a smooth joint of bamboo, which was then withdrawn, leaving 
what Avas called a jin-gi,’’ or holloAV tubing of cotton, and the cotton 
was then ready for the spinning process. 

SPINNING PKOOESS. 

The older form of spinning arrangement, the '^hazu,^’ comprised 
only a stick about a foot long with a fork at the top, this stick being 
set upright in a hole in a block of wood or stone. The cotton tubing 
AA’as suspended and a feAv strands pulled out and fastened to the stick. 
This was then revolved with both hands and as the cotton AA^as twisted 
into yarn and Avound up on the fork more cotton AA^as pulled from the 
^‘jin-gi.’’ The process was then repeated to make the yarn finer. 

Later came a rough spinning Avheel, called the ‘^ito-yori-kuruma, ” 
which had been used first by hemp spinners and is said to have been 
introduced from China. This consisted of a wheel made of tAvo 
AA^ooden disks held together with cords so as to make a runAvay for 
another cord, which ran to the whorl of a spindle fastened horizontally. 
The wheel was turned with a handle and by means of the cord re¬ 
volved the spindle. Strands of cotton pulled from the “jin-gi’’ 
were presented to the action of the revoh^ing spindle and thus twisted 
and wound up into yarn. For finer Avork this soft and irregularly 
spun yarn was respun in the same Avay. The cop as taken from the 
spindle was called a “kama, ” or ball. 

REELING AND AVEAVING. 

To measure and put the yarn up for market it was usually wound by 
hand around the ends of an I-shaped piece of wood II shaku long, 20 
times around this being called a ^^hibi-roto’^ and 50 times around a 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


67 


“ kazeto. Sometime later two of these I-shaped pieces were fastened 
together crossways and a hole made at the junction so that they 
could be rotated while the yarn was being wound around the ends. 
Later still there was imported from the Province of Fukien, in 
China, an arrangement by which the yarn from 8 cops set on spindles 
was wound simultaneously into 8 skeins side by side. This was 
considered a great advance as a labor-saving appliance. 

After the yarn was spun it was woven by the wife for her own house¬ 
hold or else, in case of a surplus, sold to other hand-loom weavers. 
The method of preparing the warp and of weaving on the crude hand 
loom with its overhung lay was very similar to that described in my 
notes on the hand-loom industry of Indiap the method is still 
used in Japan and in many parts of the world to-day. The first 
idea of weaving, as the first cultivation of cotton, is said to have 
been introduced from Korea and China. Japanese history records 
the importation of weavers from those places, but whether the dates 
mentioned refer to the first introduction of weaving or to that of 
improved methods is not clear. The cloth made on the hand loom 
was not only very rough but also very narrow, most of it being under 
a shaku (14.913 inches) in width. 

The Japanese seem to have little inventive mechanical ability, and 
their history shows that even the simplest mechanical improvements 
of the old times were adopted by them from the Chinese or the Hin¬ 
doos, even as in modern times they have copied the mechanical ideas 
evolved by Europe and America. 

MACHINE MANUFACTURE. 

After being closed to foreigners for a long time because of the insur¬ 
rection of 1637 pressure was brought to bear by both Russia and 
England in 1792 to open up Japan to foreign trade, and this was 
renewed about the middle of the nineteenth century but without suc¬ 
cess. Finally, an American expedition to negotiate, a treaty with 
this hermit country, commanded by Commodore Perry, was successful. 
As a result Yokohama was opened to foreign trade in 1858, also Shi- 
moda, Hakodate, Nagasaki, and Hyogo. Very soon foreign merchants 
settled at Yokohama and began to import, among other things, for¬ 
eign cotton yarns. 

Just before the opening of the country to trade, however, a foreign 
ship had made its appearance at one of the Riu Kiu Islands and had 
brought, among other things, a small amount of European yarn. A 
wealthy merchant named Taheji Hamazaki sent some of this cotton 
yarn to his overlord, the Daimyo Nariakira Shimazu, at Kagoshima. 
As the story runs, no one could be found who had any knowledge 
as to how such yarn could be made, or of what materials it was com¬ 
posed, and it was finally forwarded to Nishijin, near Kyoto, a famous 
center of hand-loom silk weaving. After much discussion it was 
there put down as being made of a mixture of cotton and silk and its 
value fixed accordingly. This shows how much superior the machine- 
made yarn from American cotton must have been over the irregular 
hand-spun yarn made by the natives from the harsh local cotton. 

How the daimyo was^ led by an inspection of this yarn to desire 
the establishment of a cotton mill in his Province and how his idea 


1 “ Cotton Fabrics in British India and the Philippines,” Special Agents Series No. 13, 1907. 




68 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


was carried out by his son Yoshimitsu, who erected a small spinning 
mill in 1866, has already been described, also the gradual develop¬ 
ment of the new industry. 

INCREASE IN PRODUCTION OF MACHINE-MADE YARN. 

As the greater regularity and strength of the machine-made yarn 
made the work of the hand-loom weaver considerably easier, it was 
gradually adopted by them and the supply both from home mills 
and from abroad gradually increased. By 1880 the hand-spun yarn 
had been almost forced off the market, and it has since been a negli¬ 
gible factor. There were no power looms before 1888 and even to-day 
the production of the hand looms is still very important. 

At fii'st the Japanese mills used the native hand-spinner’s system in 
numbering yarns, but in 1884 and 1885 they imported yarn-number¬ 
ing reels from England, and since 1886 the English yarn-numbering 
system, by which the count is designated according to the number 
of 840-yard hanks that weigh a pound, has been in force. Japanese 
warp yarn is usually spun with a left-hand twist and Japanese weft 
with a right-hand twist, differing in this from the system in the United 
States, where both warp and weft are usually spun with a right-hand 
twist. 

After the Restoration of 1868 the imports of foreign yarn increased 
considerably and reached the maximum of 47,439,639 kin (62,751,731 
pounds), valued at 13,611,898 3 ^en ($10,449,759) in 1888. Since that 
time imports of yarn have gradually declined, though with occasional 
spurts such as in 1896 during the period of prosperity following the 
Chinese War, and again in 1906 just after the Russian War. 

DEPRESSION CAUSES MILLS TO LIMIT PRODUCTION. 

In the early part of the eighties the production of the small mills 
was sold at a good profit, but the yarn was made of inferior Chinese 
cotton and not so well spun as the Indian coarse counts made of 
better Indian cotton. Hence the demand gradually fell off for the 
home product and at a time when the production in Japan was in¬ 
creasing from many new mills. The Japanese factories attempted 
no competition with the finer yarns from England; in fact they could 
not do so with the grade of cotton used, and they had great difficulty 
in competing with the Indian product. Then came the severe de¬ 
pression of 1890. Large stocks of Indian yarns that had accumu¬ 
lated at Kobe were thrown on the market at very low prices, the 
Japanese miUs found that they could not market half of their in¬ 
creased production, the erection of the Saitama mill was abandoned, 
the Imamiya failed, the Naniwa was sold at pubhc auction, and other 
failures followed in their wake. 

The position of the industry was precarious and it might have been 
wiped out but for timely action by the Government and the Japan 
Cotton Spinners’ Association. An extraordinary meeting of the 
association was called to consider the state of the industry and it 
promptly adopted the following resolutions: 

1. Every mill of over 5,000 spindles shall stop 8 days and nights each month during 
the three months from June 15 to September 14, 1890. Mills of 4,000 to 5,000 spindles 
shall stop 7 days and nights a month during this period; mills of 3,000 to 4,000 spindles 
6 days and nights; mills of 2,000 to 3,000 spindles, 5 days and nights; and mills under 
2,000 spindles, 4 days and nights per month during this period. 


COTTOK GOODS IN JAPAN. 69 

2. How they will arrange this monthly period of short time must be reported to the 
standing committee by each mill before June 10. 

3. _ The mills must report their periods of short time monthly to the Department of 
Agriculture and Commerce, and every month a certificate from the Government cer¬ 
tifying to this shall be obtained and sent to the committee. 

4. Mills are at liberty to effect this short time by stopping all night work. 

5. Members who fail to comply with these regulations will lose one-third of their 
guarantee deposit and will have to replenish same immediately. 

It was arranged that if the demand increased this short-time 
arrangement could be canceled at the request of a certain number of 
mills; in fact, it was canceled at the begmning of July, though it would 
have been better if the curtailment of production had continued 
longer, as the revived demand was but short lived. • 

DETERMINATION TO MANUFACTURE FINER YARN. 

On November 15, 1890, another special meeting of the association 
was called to consider the situation. At this meeting the mills 
strengthened their organization and consulted as to the best means 
of combating foreign yarns, especially Indian coarse counts, and of 
improving their selling arrangements at home, their financial con¬ 
dition, etc. It was agreed that the mills should use a better grade of 
raw material, preferably Indian instead of Chinese cotton, and that 
instead of confining their production to coarse yarns under No. 16, 
as most of them did, they should produce finer counts, especially 20s, 
as this was the yarn most largely imported from India. It was also 
decided to promote an export trade in cotton yarn. 

At this meeting, which laid out many paths that the industry has 
since followed, it was decided that— 

First, every miU of 4,000 spindles and over must make some yarn 
of No. 20 or higher, if its machinery permitted. 

Secondly, the quantity of yarn produced and the counts made must 
be reported to the association monthly; this information to be passed 
on to all other mills but not given out for publication. 

Thirdly, a committee should be appointed to urge the Government 
to remove the export duty on yarn and to increase the import duty 
on foreign yarn. 

Fourthly, a committee should be appointed to study the question 
of establishing an exchange. 

At that time means of communication in Japan were poorly devel¬ 
oped and this made it difficult for the mills to ascertain the yarn 
demand in different sections of the interior, with the result that yarn 
dealers played one mill against the other to force down prices. It 
was thought that if a central exchange were instituted and official 
quotations published these could be taken as a basis for yarn quota¬ 
tions, and accordingly the members were asked to contribute to the 
erection of such an exchange at Osaka, that city being the most cen¬ 
tral point. To finance the trade it was also decided necessary to 
erect bonded warehouses where cotton yarn could be stored so that 
money could be raised on warrants. Finally it was decided that 
improved credit facilities for the industry were absolutely essential. 

ASSISTANCE SOUGHT IN FINANCING INDUSTRY. 

In 1884 a law regulating bhls of exchange had been put in force, 
with the Bank of Japan, established in 1882, as the principal bank. 
The Bank of Japan, however, refused to discount a mill draft except 


70 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


when it came through another bank. The spinners’ association made 
representations to the Government as to the importance of the cotton 
industry in the economic development of Japan and asked that the 
Finance Department and the Bank of Japan formulate regulations 
in regard to spinning-mill drafts and that the Bank of Japan agree to 
discount these direct. To enable the Bank of Japan intelligently to 
limit the extension of credit, the mills agreed to prepare statements 
showing capital, reserves, etc. It was proposed that: 

1. The loans should be made with consideration of the yarn stocks of the mill, 

2. The Department of Finance should give the same facilities for discounting drafts 
by the Bank of Japan as do other commercial institutions. 

3. The Bamk of Japan should arrange an easier system whereby warrants can be put 
up as security against money advanced so as to make possible sales of goods pledged, 
to be replaced by other goods or by money.' 

4. The Bank of Japan should make possible the discounting of drafts in every part 
of Japan. 

This matter was put in the hands of a committee, as the advantages 
of the plan to different mills were not the same. 

A proposition to curtail production again was defeated. It was 
felt that this would do little to stimulate the demand for the coarse 
counts then being made from inferior yarn, and that the most advan¬ 
tageous plan was to make finer counts and to improve the quality. 
Most of the mills at that time were making yarns under No. 16 
and had difficulty in selling half their output. At the same time the 
demand continued strong for Indian yarns of No. 20 and over, while 
the only three Japanese mills then making as high as 20s—the Osaka, 
Owada, and Hirano—had little trouble in finding a market for their 
product. 

LARGER PRODUCTION OF FINER YARN-EXCHANGE ESTABLISHED. 

These facts led the mills to keep to their agreement to make yarns 
of higher counts, especially No. 20, and by 1893 No. 20 had become 
the chief product. This is shown by the association reports for the 
cotton yarn production of 1893, as follows: 


Number. 

Production. 

Number. 

Production. 

Number, 

Production. 

WEFT YARN. 

3 to 9. 

Kwan. 
153,520 
366,033 
332,407 
758,550 
455,978 
144,919 
764,867 
2,116,843 
123,890 
361,054 
4,832 
2,510,384 

WEFT YARN—contd. 

21. 

Kwan. 

59 
97,936 
850 
79,580 
1,464 
34,109 
141,239 
584 
213,870 
6,004 
273 
11 

WARP YARN. 

16 

Kwan. 

1,176 

19,824 

782,611 

8,469 

9,118 

313,911 

10. 

22. 

18 

11. 

23. 

20 

12. 

24. 

22 to 32 

13. 

26. 

VARIOUS. 

ITnsneeifierl 

14. 

28. 

15. 

30. 

16. 

31. 

17. 

32. 


18. 

34. 

Total 

19. 

36. 

9,804,365 

20. 

Over 40 ... 





The great bulk of the yarn produced was weft. At that time there 
were only 420 power looms in the mills, and the export trade in yarn 
was just beginning, so the yarn was almost entirely for hand looms. 
In the eighties the hand-loom weavers had preferred to use English 
warp and Indian weft, but as the Japanese mills improved their yarns 
Japanese weft was substituted for the Indian. 

























































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


71 


In 1893 the association made its agreement with the NipponYusen 
Kaisha and this facilitated the import of Indian cotton. More 
American was also imported and the Nippon Boseki in 1894 began to 
turn out finer yarns made with American and Egyptian cotton, the 
first small importation of Egyptian cotton having been made during 
1893. In 1893 the Japanese mills made only 11 kwan (about 90 
pounds) of yarn above No. 40, but fine yarns then commenced to 
increase, jumping to 438,777 kwan in 1894. There was a big drop in 
production during the Chinese War period, owing to the demand 
being mainly for coarse and medium counts, but the output of finer 
counts thereafter increased. 

The charter for an exchange to deal in cotton, cotton yarn, and 
cotton cloth was granted by the Government November 9, 1893, and 
the exchange was opened January 21, 1894. This is called the 
Osaka Sampin Torishikisho, meaning ‘^The Three Products 
Exchange.’^ 

By this tim® the mills, the erection of which had been halted by the 
crisis of 1890, were finished and they had begun working; other new 
companies were established and yarn production was again increasing 
steadily. 

PRODUCTION FROM 1893 TO 1900. 

When the Chinese War broke out in 1894 the mills, remembering 
their experience during the depression of 1890, began to curtail pro¬ 
duction, but fob owing the war was a period of widespread pros¬ 
perity, and on the wave of a speculative boom many new mills were 
started, most .of them by men who knew little of the industry and 
who had little financial backing. 

During this period there was some increase in weaving and from 
1895 a steady increase in the production of medium and fine counts, 
though the great bulk of the production still consisted of coarse 
counts, especially 11s to 20s. Although there was an increase in the 
production of medium and fine counts after the Chinese War, it was 
not sufficient to meet the larger demand due to prosperous condi¬ 
tions, and there were, heavy imports of fine yarns, especially gassed 
yarns, from England. Hence, when the collapse of the boom occurred 
in 1898 many coarse-yarns mills, failing to find a market for their 
products, turned their attention to finer counts, and when the crisis 
was over the production of finer counts had so in reased that, in the 
face of a higher tariff as well as the increase in home production, 
imports began to decrease. 

The trend of the output from 1893 until the severe depression of 
1900 is shown in the following statistics of yarn production, compiled 
by the Japan Cotton Spinners’ Association: 


Years. 

Coarse. 

Medium. 

Fine. 

Unspeci¬ 

fied. 

Japanese 

sizes. 

Total. 

Under 10. 

11 to 20. 

21 to 40. 

Over 40. 


Kwan. 

Kwan. 

Kwan. 

Kwan. 

Kwan. 

Kwan. 

Kwan. 

1893. 

519,553 

8,377,335 

584,437 

11 

9,118 

313,911 

9,804,365 

1891. 

681,907 

12,621,633 

596,978 

438, 111 

14,786 

205,808 

14,559,889 

1895. 

1,027,675 

15,200,684 

1,120,906 

94,477 

6,540 

337,205 

17,787,487 

189«. 

585,504 

18,192,395 

618,723 

178,059 

225 

134,819 

19,709, 725 

1897 .... 

1,581,325 

22,233,981 

984,080 

325,942 


436,470 

25,561,798 

1898 

1,557,435 

27,872,223 

1,397,949 

576,654 


820,960 

32, 225 ; 221 

1899. 

2, 097; 280 

31,115,248 

1,724,693 

824,831 

49,987 

405,626 

36,217,665 

1900. 

1,567,545 

25,597,906 

2,238, 404 

1,205,364 

16,881 

193,944 

30,820,044 





































72 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


According to these figures the production of medium and fine yarns, 
that is, of yarns over No. 20, increased from a total of 584,448 kwan 
(4,831,632 pounds) in 1893 to 3,443,768 kwan (28,469,630 pounds) 
in 1900, or about 490 per cent, while the total production was increas¬ 
ing from 9,804,365 kwan (81,052,685 pounds) to 30,820,044 kwan 
(254,789,304 pounds), or only about 214 per cent. 

In 1899 yarn prices were very low and exports reached a record 
not attained again until 1912. 

In 1900 occurred the Boxer troubles in China. The mills in Japan 
were much disturbed and for several years business was very duU. 
The depression was especially felt because the miUs had been operat¬ 
ing on borrowed capital and pa 5 ring out their profits in dividends, 
made as high as possible in order to keep up the market quotations of 
their shares, and thus they had few or no reserves. Moreover, the 
cost of manufacturing had been steadily rising, owing in large measure 
to a steady rise in the labor cost, which in turn was forced up by the 
higher prices of all necessities of life. 

KISE IN COST OF PRODUCTION. 

Dr. Hikotaro Nishi, in his able study of the Japanese spinning 
industry, gives a table compiled by the Department of Agriculture 
and Commerce of Japan, from data furnished by two mills which 
were organized in the same year, and which for a period of about 10 
years regularly produced No. 16 weft. This table shows the manu¬ 
facturing cost of No. 16 cotton weft to have been as follows, in yen 
per 400-pound bale: 


Half years. 

MiU A. 

Mill B. 

Average 

yarn 

count. 

Total 

manufac¬ 

turing 

cost. 

Cost of 
labor. 

Cost of 
coal. 

Average 

yarn 

count. 

Total 

manufac¬ 

turing 

cost. 

Cost of 
labor. 

Cost of 
coal. 

* 

1894: 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

First. 

15.9 

9.479 

3.948 

1.352 

16.77 

8.240 

4.138 

1.076 

Second. 

15.6 

9.159 

3; 403 

1.312 

17.10 

9.628 

4.446 

.991 

1895: 









First. 

15.3 

9. 540 

3.000 

1.339 

17.25 

8.998 

4.251 

1.129 

Second. 

15.5 

9.989 

3.615 

1.249 

17.00 

9.020 

4.346 

.921 

1896: 









First. 

15.4 

9.610 

3.615 

1.105 

16.15 

9.485 

4.613 

. 956 

Second. 

15.8 

11. 873 

3.616 

1.393 

16.50 

10.978 

5.320 

1.171 

1897: 









First. 

15.1 

13.876 

4. 405 

2. 441 

16.50 

11.937 

5.829 

1.594 

Second. 

16.1 

13.811 

5. 307 

2.959 

16.50 

12.204 

5. 283 

1.929 

1898: 









First. 

16.5 

12.595 

5. 409 

1.864 

16.80 

13.024 

6 . 239 

2.066 

Second. 

15.3 

12.595 

5. 409 

1.864 

16.60 

11.881 

6.022 

1.337 

1899: 









First. 

14.1 

12.100 

5.126 

1.193 

16.20 

10. 956 

5.651 

1.056 

Second. 

15.6 

12.100 

6.126 

1.193 

16.60 

11.996 

5. 779 

.816 

1900: 









First. 

16.6 

14. 778 

5. 734 

1.633 

17.00 

13. 930 

’ 6.462 

1.084 

Second. 

15.2 

16. 456 

6.000 

1.001 

17. 30 

15.187 

6.657 

1.161 


FACTORS IN MILL COST. 

The total cost of production, or mill cost, is composed of three ele¬ 
ments: (1) Cost of material, which is the cost of the raw cotton at the 
mill, plus the increased cost due to waste made, less the value of 
waste sold; (2) productive labor; and (3) general expenses, which 
include fixed charges such as salaries, taxes, fire insurance, and depre- 




































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


73 


elation, and variable charges such as supplies, fuel and power bought, 
general labor, and office and miscellaneous expenses. The items of 
productive labor and general expenses are called the manufacturing, 
or conversion, cost. In the table the cost of material is not shown, 
but there is given the total conversion cost, or cost of manufacture 
above that of the raw material; and also the labor cost; together 
with one item (coal) of the general expenses. 

Taking an average of the two mills in 1894 and in 1900, it is found 
that the conversion costs of making No. 16 weft were as foUows: 


Conversion costs. 

Y en per bale. 

Cents per pound. 

Per cent 
of in¬ 
crease. 

1894 

1900 

1894 

1900 

Productive labor. 

3. 984 

6 . 213 

0. 496 

0.774 

*56 

General expenses. 

5.142 

8.875 

.640 

1.104 

72 


Total. 

9.126 

15. 088 

1.136 

1.878 

65 



Although data from only two mills do not furnish a basis for 
accurate conclusions, they indicate the general trend. There was a 
considerable increase in the conversion costs, and the increase was 
somewhat larger in the general expenses than in the labor, though 
the latter was steadily rising. Taxes were raised after the Chinese 
War, especially by the all-embracing business tax of 1896, which 
included a tax of 2 yen on every operative employed, a tax of 3.7 
per 1,000 on the amount of capital, a tax of 90 per 1,000 on the rental 
value of buildings, and taxes on warehousing, railway transport, 
etc. Supphes, office expenses, etc., also increased during the period. 
It is stated that the two miUs above mentioned were among the best 
managed in the country, and that the costs in other mills were 
possibly 10 to 20 per cent higher. During 1900 the average price 
of Indian Broach cotton in Osaka was 23.833 yen per 100 kin (8.907 
cents per pound), and the cost in the yarn would be increased by the 
waste made. The average price of No. 16 weft on the Osaka mar¬ 
ket was 96.28 yen per bale of 400 pounds (11.986 cents per pound). 

EFFECT OF LOW PRICES. 

During 1901, 1902, and the first part of 1903 the price of yarn 
remained low. These were years of very dull business, and there 
were many amalgamations and some failures. The export trade 
was duU, and the miUs had to resort to short time and also employ 
various expedients to promote exports. However, they took 
advantage of the opportunity to effect economies in manufacturing 
methods and by retaining only the best workers to raise the general 
standard of efficiency. Government figures show that the yarn pro¬ 
duction per operative rose from 433 kwan (3,580 pounds) in 1896 to 
556 kwan (4,596 pounds) in 1903. Dr. Nishi states that the Amaga- 
saki miU in Hyogo, on No. 42 yarn, obtained an average production 
of 50 momme (0.413 pound) in 1903, as against 38 momme (0.314 
pound) in 1896, per spindle per day (the working day including day 
and night); also that the Nippon mill, in Osaka, on No. 80 yarn, 
averaged about 14^ momme (0.12 pound) in 1903, as against 10 
momme (0.0867 pound) in 1896. 




















74 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


The depression during this period was felt less by the fine-yarn 
mills, and this led other mills to start making finer counts. Likewise, 
the cloth mills were not so badly affected as the coarse-yarn spinning 
mills, and this induced many manufacturers to consider the installa¬ 
tion of looms. 

EXPANSION FOLLOWING WAR WITH RUSSIA. 

By 1903 the mills had recovered from the worst effects of the 
depression, but they were unable to expand greatly because of the 
threatened war with Russia. When war broke out the next year 
they prepared for dull times, but the requirements for the huge 
army soon caused them to start full speed again, and following the 
war the mills entered upon an era of prosperity that lasted from 
the middle of 1904 to the middle of 1907. The new market for cloth 
in Manchuria caused the installation of a considerable number of 
looms. The yarn production, which had risen to 801,738 bales in 
1903 after the recovery from the depression of 1900 and then dropped 
to 095,212 bales in 1904, expanded to 905,536 bales in 1905, to 945,165 
bales in 1906, and to 983,482 bales in 1907. 

During the three years of expansion the increase was mainly in 
coarse yarns, both relatively and absolutely, as the new looms 
were making chiefly sheeting and drills for the Manchurian trade. 
In 1908 came a reaction, and from February 1, 1908, to October 1, 
1912, the mills were unable to find a market for all their products and 
operated varying proportions of their machinery. They gradually 
increased their output of finer yarns, on which there was not so strong 
competition. In 1908 the total output of yarn was only 878,570 bales, 
but in the next few years it again increased, as the mills were enlarged 
in anticipation of a better demand. The market did improve at times, 
though not sufficiently to enable them to run fuU time. In 1909 the 
total production reached 1,025,244 bales, and in 1910, 1,134,780 bales; 
it dropped to 1,129,267 bales in 1911, with the restriction of the ex¬ 
port to China, but increased in 1912 to 1,352,209 bales. During this 
period sharp competition on coarse counts led to an increased produc¬ 
tion of medium and fine counts, especially during 1912. As compared 
with 1911 the total yarn production in 1912 increased about 20 per 
cent, while the output of medium counts increased 39 per cent and of 
fine counts 33 per cent. 

PRODUCTION FROM 1902 TO 1912. 

The production of the various yarns from 1902 to 1912 was as 
follows: 


Years. 

Coarse. 

1902.. 

Bales. 
678,100 

1903. 

705', 165 

1904. 

620;145 
801,296 

1905. 

1906. 

833,704 

1907. 

868'892 

1908. 

752', 537 

1909. 

859^ 293 

1910. 

988;618 

1911. 

956', 949 
1,117,267 

1912.. 




Medium. 

Fine. 

Special. 

Japanese 

sizes. 

Total. 

Bales. 

Bales. 

Bales. 

Bales. 

Bales. 

47,294 

39,588 

1,900 

3,971 

770,853 

55,325 

38,975 

945 

1,328 

801,738 

40,337 

32,766 

709 

1,255 

695,212 

60,866 

40,766 

1,025 

1,583 

905,536 

65,623 

42,462 

1,263 

2,113 

945,165 

64,499 

46,315 

1,258 

2,518 

983;482 

66,244 

55,679 

1,966 

2,144 

878,570 

93,439 

69,999 

1,456 

1,057 

1,025,244 

85,496 

59,301 

1,365 


1,134,780 

101,427 

68,883 

1,319 

689 

1,129,267 

141,316 

91,920 

1,706 


1,352,209 


































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN 


75 


CHANGES IN QUALITY OF YARN. 

Tlie gradual trend toward the manufacture of finer counts is seen 
by the following table, which gives the total, in bales, and the per¬ 
centages of coarse counts of 20s and under, medium counts of 21s to 
40s, and fine counts above 40s: 


Years. 

Total 

output. 

Coarse. 

Medium. 

Fine. 

Unspeci¬ 

fied. 

Total. 

1890.. 

Bales. 
104,839 

Per cent. 
100.00 

Per cent. 

Per cent. 

Per cent. 

Per cent. 
100 

1895. 

366^ 689 

91.23 

6.29 

0.54 

1.94 

100 

1900. 

645,432 

88.14 

7. 27 

3.91 

.68 

100 

1905. 

905,536 

88 . 49 

6 . 72 

4.50 

.29 

100 

1910. 

1,134,780 

87.14 

7. 52 

5. 22 

.12 

100 

1911. 

1,129,267 

84. 74 

8.98 

6.10 

.18 

100 

1912. 

1, 352,209 

82. 63 

10. 45 

6.80 

.12 

100 


Wliile yarn production is still chiefly the coarse counts, there is a 
gradual trend toward finer counts. As the standard of living in 
Japan advances, and as the Chinese mills expand so that exports of 
coarse counts to that market are curtailed, the Japanese will have to 
make a larger amount of fine yarn for the home market and also seek 
outlets for it in the Philippines, the East Indies, British India, and 
possibly Australia. However, until the principal cloths required in 
Japan and China become materially finer and lighter, the larger part 
of the Japanese output will be coarse counts. 

OUTPUT OF VARIOUS YARNS IN 1902 AND 1912. 

The output of each kind of yarn in 1902 and 1912 is shown in 
detail in the following table: 


No. 

Single weft. 

Single warp. 

Doubled yarn. 

Gassed yarn. 

Total. 

1902 

1912 

1902 

1912 

1902 

1912 

1902 

1912 

1902.a 

1912.b 

1 to Q . .. 

Bales. 
6,6701 
27,351 
10,642i 
38, 078 

Bales. 
22,973 
59,483 
5,903 
51,445i 
17,065^ 
80,947 

Bales. 

4,650 

Bales. 

9,038.| 

696) 

Bales. 

1 

Bales. 

65 

Bales. 

Bales. 

Bales. 

11,324 

Bales. 

32,0764 

60 ,1794 

5,909 
55,647 

10 

' 83i 




27', 4344 

11 

6 





10;6424 
38,892 

12 

700 

4,1751 
9,898| 
46,403 
38,352 
16,610* 
9184 

114 

26 



1.8 . .. 

16,189^ 
46,337i 
20,715 
254,299 

3,165i 
3, 498 




19,355 
49,8634 
25,636 

26,964 

14 

28 

734 



127,4234 

1 

15;093i 
346,844i 
l,024i 
3,500 

' 4,736 

185 



53 ,4454 

10 . 

4,564 

155i 

3,877 

1,4564 

4,800 


484 

260,317 

368,739 

17 

3201 

13,24U 

4,1954 




4,674 

17,1184 

1,943 

11,5924 

IS 

8,0844 

5,373 

8 



IQ 

15* 


24 


298 



39* 

5,671' 

20 . 

13,926 
80 

8,912 

198,684 

355,821 
2,764 


21,0964 

199 

1,8474 

212,809 

367,677 

21 . 

697 





777 

2,764 

22 . 

l,048i 

1,514 

1,550 

3,428 



3 

1954 

2,6014 

5,1374 

28 


4 

1,367 





4 

1,367 

24 . 

1,018 


1,292.^ 

6,8194 


233 

14 


2,322 

7,0524 

34 

2 .i 

22 i 


34 





224 

26 . 


92 

1244 



32 


, 124 

1244 

28 

m 

477 


3,891 

3,0914 

37,991 

27,301 





3 ,9754 

12,2144 

3,0914 
39 ,2994 

80 

580 

11,737§ 
14,773i 
702 


704 


27 

32 . 

183 

5,174 

19,736 

349 


20,477 

47,037 

88 




55 


757 


84 

1 


159i 

5,244 

52 


23 


2354 

5,2414 

S'; 


1,054 

4,175 





1,05U 

86 

113i 

21 

608 

925 



2274 

103 

1,266 

4,886' 

88 

48i 

814 

25i 

1,289^ 

539 




464 

587'- 

40. 

20 

18, 735 

114 

22 

1,048 

4,071 

2,4714 

23,642 

42. 

155 

248 

1,881 

3,3184 

20,3904 

46,9104 

8374 

47 

23,264 

50,524 

48 




709 

1,524 



154 

2,233 

44. 



25 



100 


100 

25 


a Total includes 5,871 bales (0.76 per cent) not specified. 
b Total includes 1,706 bales (0.13 per cent) not specified. 












































































































































76 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN 


No. 

Single weft. 

Single warp. 

Doubled yarn. 

Gassed yarn. 

Total. 

1902 

1912 

1902 

1912 

1902 

1912 

1902 

1912 

1902. 

1912. 

45. 

Bales. 

Bales. 

Bales. 

Bales. 
2,662* 

Bales. 

Bales. 

Bales. 

Bales. 

Bales. 

Bales. 

2,662* 

1,097* 

357* 

46. 


434* 

357* 


663 






48. 








50. 


12 * 

1,544 


5i 

74 

306* 

86 * 

1,856 

52. 





207 

'207 

55. 




288* 

13 





288* 

58. 









13 

60. 




23 

293 

48* 

80 

6,746* 

18, 471 

7,039* 

18,542* 

583 

62. 





'503 

64. 






13* 


308 


321* 

72. 







306 


306- 

80. 





61 


8,987* 

12,347* 

23 

9,048* 

12,347* 

23 

82. 






84. 






42 


375 


417 

100 . 






25 

115* 

25 

115* 

120 . 







9 

9 










Total. 

451,025* 

617, 796 

263,167* 
34.14 

597,286* 

44.17 

32,062 

95,683* 

18,727* 
2. 43 

39,737* 
2.93 

770,853* 

100 

1,352,209* 

100 

Per cent. 

58. 51* 

45. 69 

4.16 

7.08 



Compared with 1902 there was an increase of 75.4 per cent in 1912 
in the total production of yarn. The gain in coarse yarns (20s and 
under) was 61.8 per cent; in medium yarns (21s to 40s), 198.8 per 
cent; and in fine yarns (above 40s), 132.2 per cent. ' The counts made 
in largest amounts were the same during the two years, that is, in 
order of weight, as follows: 16s, 20s, 14s, 12s, 10s, 15s, 42s (mainly 
ply yarn), and 32s (mainly ply yarn). 

No. 16 weft and No. 20 warp remain the two principal counts, but 
there has been a very large relative gain in the spinning of 14s and 15s 
(due to the development of the trade in grey sheeting and drill), and 
in 32s and 42s ply yarns and 60s gassed. The production of 30s warp 
more than trebled. There was some gain in the production of 80s, but 
above this number the production remains negligible. 

COTTON CONSUMPTION AND YARN PRODUCTION. 

The Department of Agriculture and Commerce publishes the follow¬ 
ing statistics as to the consumption of cotton in Japanese mills and 
the production of yarn, cotton waste, and yarn waste: 


Years. 


1892 

1893 

1894 

1895 

1896 

1897 

1898 

1899 

1900 

1901 

1902 

1903 

1904 

1905 

1906 

1907 

1908 

1909 

1910 
1911, 


Daily 
average of 
working 
spindles. 


385,314 
381,781 
476,123 
518,736 
692,384 
768,328 
1,027.817 
1,170,327 
1,144,027 
1,181,762 
1,301,118 
1,290,347 
1,306,198 
1,402,931 
1,441,934 
1,500, 579 
1,403,034 
1,785,665 
1,896,601 
1,901,290 


Cotton 

consumed. 


Kwan. 
12,240,793 
11,531,307 
17,179,274 
21,771,346 
24,875,087 
32,068,243 
42,544,656 
42,962,406 
38,323,770 
38,681,886 
44,286,547 
45,521,389 
40,157,040 
50,516,514 
53,079, 596 
54,707,033 
49,496,645 
58,726,909 
66,825,340 
65,565,730 


Yarn 

produced. 


Kwan. 

9,977,208 
10,666,744 
14,620,008 
18, 437,011 
20,585,.485 
26,134,120 
32,163, 239 
43,052,402 
32,419.641 
33,115,829 
38,458,947 
39,120, 772 
34,569,430 
44,137,858 
46,187,845 
47,322,788 
42,864,262 
50,034,590 
56,396,939 
55,974,015 


Cotton 

waste. 


Kwan. 

906,116 
1,178,059 
1,816,333 
2,423,361 
2,923,729 
3,706,510 
4,980,687 
4,923,207 
3,889,848 
4,092,460 
4,552,329 
4,953,244 
4,186,317 
5,063,052 
5,387,450 
5,699,652 
5,277,337 
6,565,726 
7,290, 741 
8,084,915 


Yam 

waste. 


Kwan. 
304,851 
298,466 
192,017 
251,879 
328,666 
1,177,099 
558,409 
587,343 
786,457 
477,364 
472,703 
439,447 
326,552 
462,369 
501,750 
486,197 
487, 778 
614,240 
561,200 
507,308 











































































































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


77 


The 1912 Government figures are not yet available, but the Japan 
Cotton Spinners’ Association places the cotton consumption in 1912 
at 76,347,818 kwan; yarn produced, 66,678,729 kwan; waste cotton 
(soft waste), 8,767,004 kwan; and yarn waste (hard waste), 566,927 
kwan. This makes the yarn production in 1912 87.33 per cent and 
the waste production 12.23 per cent of the cotton consumed. The 
association figures for consumption and production always differ from 
those of the Government, but not materially. 


COMPARISON OF YARN AND WASTE PRODUCTION. 


The Government figures, converted into pounds, give the following 
comparison for various years: 


Years. 

Daily 
average of 
working 
spindles. 

Cotton 

consumed. 

Yarn produced. 

Waste produced. 

Pounds. 

Per cent 
of cotton. 

Pounds. 

Per cent 
of cotton. 

1895. 

518,736 
1,144,027 
1,402,931 
1,896,601 
1,901,290 

Pounds. 
179,982,717 
316,822,607 
417,620,021 
552,445,086 
542,031,890 

152,418, 770 
268,013,172 
364,887,672 
466,233,495 
462,737,182 

84.69 

84.59 

87.37 
84.39 

85.37 

22,115,609 
38,659,013 
45, 678,655 
64,911,996 
71,031,908 

12.29 
12.20 
10. 94 
11.75 
13.10 

1900. 

1905. 

1910. 

1911. 



The actual waste made during the manufacture of ordinary counts 
in Japanese cotton mills is usually figured at 16 per cent. The 
amount of waste reported to the Government is less, because much of 
the soft waste from the manufacture of medium and fine counts is 
used in mixing for low counts made by the same mill; and the per¬ 
centage of yarn produced is increased by the moisture regained during 
conditioning, as practically all Japanese cotton mills condition their 
yarn. 

PRICES AND MARKET QUOTATIONS. 

All cotton mills of Japan are members of the Japan Cotton Spin¬ 
ners’ Association and are required by the association to report by the 
5th of each month the prices received for No. 16 right twist (weft) and 
No. 20 left twist (warp) during the preceding month. The highest 
and lowest prices thus reported by the mills during the last 15 years are 
shown in the following tables, in yen per bale of 400 pounds: 

NO. 16 RIGHT TWIST. 


Months. 

1899 

1900 

1901 

1902 

1903 

High. 

Low. 

High. 

Low. 

High. 

Low. 

High. 

Low. 

High. 

Low. 


Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

January. 

11.\1 

75.76 

101 . 02 

94.20 

107.84 

103.05 

99.97 

98. 02 

90. 72 

87.83 

February. 

80. 33 

76.24 

106. 75 

100.58 

106.14 

102.94 

99.91 

98.44 

94.01 

90.24 

March. 

79. 34 

76. 71 

112.82 

102.43 

102. 69 

95.81 

99.58 

98. 00 

94. 62 

92.22 

April. 

77. 58 

75. 60 

102.00 

92.91 

100. 51 

95.31 

99.29 

97. 52 

95.17 

93.11 

May. 

76.08 

74. 27 

96. 07 

90.65 

99. 87 

95. 33 

95.14 

91.82 

95.40 

90.58 

June. 

77. 65 

74.98 

92.12 

82.52 

96.91 

93.91 

96. 92 

93.59 

97.36 

95.36 

July. 

78.25 

76. 26 

94. 74 

84.23 

97.75 

95.25 

97.33 

95.07 

97. 73 

96.29 

August. 

83.63 

77.11 

95. 87 

92. 71 

98.58 

96.16 

96.17 

94.37 

98.68 

96.31 

September. 

91.17 

83.13 

95.09 

90. 49 

102.48 

101.29 

96. 04 

94.01 

100. 03 

97.96 

October. 

93.81 

88 . 07 

95.99 

93.54 

102. 99 

99.23 

94.00 

91.16 

100.70 

98.10 

November. 

94.73 

89. 73 

99.14 

94. 24 

101.57 

98.55 

91.69 

88.58 

102.17 

100.72 

December. 

94. 74 

91.32 

104. 01 

98.88 

100. 29 

97. 76 

89. 49 

86.30 

105.28 

102. 30 


































































78 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN 


NO. 16 RIGHT TWIST—Continued. 


Months. 

1904 

1905 

1906 

1907 

1908 

High. 

Low. 

High. 

Low. 

High. 

Low. 

High. 

Low. 

High. 

Low. 


Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

January.. 

106. 78 

103.93 

116.57 

112.85 

126.14 

121.62 

129. 59 

124.97 

115. 75 

no. 40 

February. 

107.50 

105. .59 

118.06 

112.97 

128.65 

123.12 

128. 22 

124. 25 

114.92 

108. 98 

March. 

113.81 

107.86 

126. 54 

116.10 

128. 32 

123.45 

127.83 

122. 93 

111.48 

103. 94 

April. 

112. 87 

109. 84 

122. 31 

114.91 

126. 03 

120. 88 

125. 62 

120. 76 

106. 78 

100. 05 

May. 

111.97 

109. 72 

120. 75 

114. 24 

125. 80 

121.57 

123.91 

119. 77 

104. 02 

97.56 

June. 

no. 68 

107.52 

122. 45 

116.34 

124. 64 

119. 92 

124.55 

120. 75 

107. 88 

97.65 

July. 

no. 89 

106. 84 

122.22 

117.28 

124. 75 

121.87 

124.14 

121.12 

109.89 

103.80 

August. 

112. 90 

no. 32 

122. 33 

117.20 

123.55 

119.90 

123. 62 

121.23 

109.85 

104. 69 

September. 

117.80 

112.88 

130. 02 

118. 85 

124. 42 

120. 39 

123. .50 

121. 03 

no. 67 

106.32 

October. 

117.03 

114. 73 

123. 72 

118. 05 

125. 50 

121. 64 

122. 77 

119. 92 

no. 09 

107. 96 

November. 

120.35 

114. 64 

123.85 

118.53 

125. 52 

122.18 

121.34 

117. 75 

106. 21 

103. 90 

December. 

118. 37 

113.32 

125. 97 

121.11 

127.81 

123. 67 

120. 34 

114.43 

106. 26 

100. 44 


Months. 

1909 

1910 

1911 

1912 

1913 

1 

High. 

Low. 

High. 

Low. 

High. 

Low. 

High. 

Low. 

High. 

Low. 


Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

January. 

105.42 

101.32 

126.54 

122.85 

151.75 

143. 75 

140.35 

129.46 

145.50 

138.82 

February. 

111.21 

104.13 

124. 07 

123. 68 

151.62 

145.29 

141.00 

129. 56 

146.29 

1.39.81 

March. 

118.18 

109. 98 

132.05 

126. 78 

150.36 

144.27 

142. 07 

130. 86 

148. 40 

140.65 

April. 

117.66 

no. 06 

133.54 

129. 04 

150.30 

145.50 

139.00 

130. 86 

147. 73 

141.05 

May. 

118. 93 

112.29 

133.64 

129. 86 

149. 41 

146.18 

138.83 

131. 04 

146. 67 

141.20 

June. 

120. 49 

113.05 

133.13 

128.58 

149. 71 

147. 27 

138. 95 

130. 05 

145.39 

139.20 

July. 

121.53 

117. 02 

130. 73 

127.07 

110.35 

129. 46 

141. 42 

132.58 

144.22 

137. 27 

.\ut;ust. 

120.59 

116. 41 

128.87 

123.92 

141.00 

129.56 

141.85 

134.20 

134.24 

136.96 

September. 

122. 30 

117. 71 

129. 46 

124.23 

142.07 

130.86 

143.14 

134. 81 

144. 81 

137. 78 

October. 

121.35 

116. 08 

132. 98 

127.82 

139.00 

130.86 

143. 07 

135. 89 

144.59 

137.22 

November. 

122. 06 

119.68 

138. 55 

130. 75 

138. 83 

131.04 

144.19 

137.02 

142. 40 

136. 35 

December. 

126. 88 

120.02 

145. 73 

136. 20 

138. 95 

130. 05 

146. 22 

138.18 

139. 61 

134. 57 


NO. 20 LEFT TWIST. 


Months. 

1899 

1900 

1901 

1902 

19a3 

High. 

Low. 

High. 

Low. 

High. 

Low. 

High. 

Low. 

High. 

Low. 


Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

January. 

79.15 

11 .24 

101. 70 

96. 32 

112.15 

106. 62 

101. 82 

96.10 

95.93 

92.68 

Februarv. 

82.50 

78.08 

109.03 

102. 75 

109. 47 

105.54 

102.50 

100. 72 

101.23 

96.26 

March. 

81.25 

78. 78 

113. 30 

104. .59 

105.57 

98. 89 

103.00 

101.00 

103. 64 

99.03 

April. 

79. 44 

77. 31 

105. 51 

97. 47 

103.16 

97.38 

103.50 

101. 66 

101.68 

97.69 

May. 

11.n 

76. 48 

100.18 

94. 77 

103. 28 

98.69 

101. 30 

98.06 

100 00 

97.60 

June. 

79. 30 

76. 28 

94. 40 

83.02 

99.29 

96.62 

102.03 

98. 56 

113.51 

99.10 

July. 

80.33 

78. 48 

96. 48 

86.51 

100.88 

97.75 

103.25 

101.17 

103. 45 

101. 81 

August. 

85.06 

79.18 

97.22 

92.96 

101.82 

99.29 

101. 45 

99. 30 

104.18 

102. 02 

September. 

93.50 

85. 79' 

95. 77 

91.30 

106.14 

102.57 

100.16 

97.59 

105. 79 

103.51 

October. 

97. 01 

90.58 

97.18 

94. 50 

106. 01 

101. 56 

97.23 

94.50 

108. 22 

105.47 

November. 

96.89 

92.59 

102.20 

96. 20 

103.28 

100.11 

95. 44 

92. 30 

109.42 

100. 53 

December. 

96. 41 

93.50 

107. 76 

102.40 

100.29 

97. 76 

94.18 

90.24 

116. 42 

108. 81 

Months. 

1904 

1905 

1906 

1907 

1908 

High. 

Low. 

High. 

Low. 

High. 

Low. 

High. 

Low. 

High. 

Low. 


Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Januarv. 

113.93 

no. .50 

121.56 

114.31 

138.27 

132. 62 

140.16 

133. 86 
133. 63 

123.01 
120. 78 

116.41 
114.32 

February. 

115.09 

112.88 

131.07 

118. 78 

141.90 

133. 27 

138.88 

March. 

118. 50 

no. 26 

137.48 

122. 67 

143.50 

144. 00 

136.96 

130. 24 

116. 57 

109.38 

April. 

118. 49 

115.00 

132.38 

122.20 

139. 27 

130. 39 

134.45 

128. 67 

111.25 

106. 52 

May. 

116.81 

114. 61 

134. 03 

124.13 

136. 40 

129. 80 

133.58 

126. 64 

108. 49 

103.85 

June. 

115. 56 

111.09 

139.54 

127.46 

134. 40 

128. 36 

132.88 

127. 78 

115.28 

105.60 

July. 

114.72 

110.02 

136. 90 

129. 00 

135.17 

138. 37 

132.21 

124.00 

118.36 

112.37 

August. 

117.80 

114.58 

135. 67 

127. 78 

133.84 

129.22 

131. 98 

128. 88 

117.89 

112. .59 

September. 

131.96 

118.24 

134.62 

127.18 

134. 86 

130. 33 

130. 72 

127.06 

116.41 

112.12 

October. 

125.98 

120. 52 

133. 33 

129. 40 

133. 93 

131.35 

129. 47 

126. 06 

117.35 

114.57 

November. 

128. 77 

120. 86 

133. 85 

128. 33 

133.85 

131.82 

128. 33 

123.81 

112.57 

111.02 

December. 

126. 27 

117.43 

136.11 

130.33 

136. 99 

132.19 

126.34 

120. 29 

111. 05 

106.38 



























































































































































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


79 


NO. 20 LEFT TWIST—Continued. 


Months. 

1909 

1910 

1911 

1912 

1913 

High. 

Low. 

High. 

Low. 

High. 

Low. 

High. 

Low. 

High. 

Low. 

January. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

111.74 

107.84 

131.86 

128.87 

161. 75 

150.00 

143. 03 

134.06 

152. 45 

146.08 

February. 

115.05 

109. 58 

133. 54 

129. 73 

158. 83 

152.53 

144. 03 

135.32 

152.04 

147. 22 

March. 

125. 74 

116.25 

138.32 

131.65 

162.52 

153. 76 

144.87 

135. 97 

151.75 

146.17 

April. 

126.97 

117.05 

139.12 

134. 89 

161.42 

1.55.37 

144.32 

136. 64 

152. 67 

147.28 

May. 

124. 78 

118.13 

138. 76 

136.09 

159.50 

155. 97 

146.55 

138. 41 

152. 55 

147. 53 

June. 

126. 49 

119.32 

138.16 

134. 43 

159. 24 

156.11 

146.14 

137.42 

151.05 

146.35 

July. 

129. 48 

124.19 

135. 61 

132. 57 

159. 32 

156. 54 

147. 68 

140. 94 

149.48 

142. 08 

August. 

130. 05 

125. 54 

133. 82 

128. 61 

157. 72 

153.14 

148.11 

141.18 

149.11 

143.81 

September. 

131. 56 

127. 74 

133.35 

128. 54 

157. 48 

152.35 

148. 68 

142. 30 

149. 96 

143. 36 

October. 

131.03 

126.05 

139. 00 

133. 08 

156.46 

147. 32 

148.11 

142. 54 

149. 00 

143. 46 

November. 

130. 41 

127.01 

145.25 

137.15 

145. 09 

130. 93 

148. 43 

143. 03 

147. 65 

142. 36 

December. 

131.71 

127.57 

151.29 

143. 64 

144. 03 

131.71 

150. 83 

144.87 

145. 45 

137. 56 


During the 15 years the lowest price received by the mills for 
No. 16 weft yarn made with right-hand twist was 74.27 yen per bale 
(9.25 cents per pound) in May, 1899, while the highest price was 
151.75 yen per bale (18.89 cents per pound) in January, 1911, when 
the mills were working on extraordinarily costly cotton. For No. 20 
warp yarn made with left-hand twist the lowest price received by 
the mills was 76.28 yen per bale (9.5 cents per pound) in June, 1899, 
and the highest price 162.52 yen per bale (20.23 cents per pound) 
in March, 1911. 


FACTORS IN DETERMINING PRICES. 

Prices received by various mills vary with the standing of their 
yarns, which are judged according to the material and the spinning. 
Manufacturing costs likewise vary from mill to mill, and the price of 
material varies largely, according to the mixing. Spinners state that, 
in general, they now figure the manufacturing, or conversion, cost 
to average about 1 yen per count per bale for coarse and medium 
numbers; that is, the manufacturing cost above the cost of cotton 
(the cost of the cotton, of course, is enhanced by the waste made) 
is about 16 yen per bale (1.99 cents a pound) for 16s; 20 yen per bale 
(2.49 cents per pound) for 20s; 28 yen per bale (3.486 cents per 
pound) for 28s, etc. Thus, the difference in the manufacturing cost 
of 16s and 20s would be 4 yen per bale (one-half cent per pound), 
but the tables show that the difference is usually somewhat more. 
This is explained by the fact that the cost of the raw material for 
20s is higher than for 16s, as the mixing for the former usually contains 
a larger percentage of the higher-priced American cotton, and the 
selling value is improved thereby. Sometimes, however, owing to 
fluctuations in the demand, the difference between these two counts, 
the chief ones made in Japan, is less than this amount. 


MARKET QUOTATIONS. 

The prices above given for 16s weft and 20s warp are those received 
by the spinning mills, as shown by their reports to^ the Japan Cotton 
Spinners’ Association. They are not the quotations published on 
the market. In Japan the cotton yarn market seems to be mainly a 
spot-cash trade. The mills sell direct to the wholesale dealers, 











































80 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN 


without any intermediate commission house, and these dealers pay 
the mills in cash without discount; if they require one or two months 
in which to pay, the mill may take their promissory note with interest 
for the time. The dealers add a certain amount to cover their profit 
and expenses and issue weekly quotations to the retailers at home or 
to their agencies abroad. The margin between the market quota¬ 
tion of the dealers and the mill price varies, but it is usually small. 
In many cases the dealer’s quotation is very little higher than the 
mill price, and in some cases it is the same. Brokers may buy for a 
turn and hold the yarn until there is a rise, making their profit 
entirely out of the change in price. Sometimes, of course, this 
works the other way and a failure is recorded. The larger firms do 
not speculate much, but add a certain amount and issue their quota¬ 
tion lists to their regular customers every week. 


WHOLESALE YARN QUOTATIONS. 


The following are the actual wholesale quotations on cotton yarn 
given by Yagi Shoten (the Yagi Firm) of Osaka for January 6, 1914, 
the yarns being listed in the order given by the firm; the prices are in 
yen per bale of 400 pounds. 


Yarn number and 
kind. 

Yen per 
bale. 

Spinning mill. 

No. 12 left twist 

141.50 

Kanegafuchi. 

(warp). 

No. 12 left twist. 

139.50 

Do. 

No. 12 left twist. 

138.50 

Osaka Godo. 

No. 12 left twist. 

138.50 

Settsu. 

No. 12 left twist. 

137.00 

Meiji. 

No. 12 left twist. 

136.50 

Koriyama mill of 
Settsu. 

No. 12 left twist. 

138.00 

Fukushima, 

No. 12 left twist. 

135.50 

Osaka. 

No. 12 left twist. 

135.50 

Kurashiki. 

No. 12 left twist. 

133.50 

Matsuyama. 

No. 12 left twist. 

135.00 

Naigai Wata. 

No. 12 left twist. 

133.50 

Oita. 

No. 12 left twist..... 

133.00 

Ozu Hosoito. 

No. 18 left twist. 

139.00 

Kanegafuchi. 

No. 18 left twist 

141.00 

Do. 

(warp). 



No. 16 right twist... 

138.25 

Do. 

No. 15 right twist... 

136.00 

Do. 

No. 14 right twist... 

136.00 

Do. 

No. 13 right twist... 

137.00 

Do. 

No. 12right twist... 

134. 50 

Do. 

No. 11 right twist... 

127.50 

Do. 

No. 10 right twist... 

127.00 

Do. 

No. 8 right twist_ 

125.50 

Do. 

No. 16 right twist... 

135.50 

Settsu. 

No. 15 right twist... 

134.00 

Do. 

No. 14 right twist... 

133.00 

Do. 

No. 13 right twist... 

133.00 

Do. 

No. 12 right twist 

131.00 

Do. 

(extra twist).o 



No. 12 right twist... 

131.00 

Do. 

No. 10 right twist... 

124.50 

Do. 

No. 8 right twist_ 

124.00 

' Do. 

No. 16 right twist... 

135.50 

Osaka Godo. 

No. 15 right twist... 

134.00 

Do. 

No. 14 right twist... 

133.00 

Do. 

No. 13 right twist... 

132.00 

Do. 

No. 12 right twist... 

130.50 

Do. 

No. 11 right twist... 

125.50 

Do. 

No. 10 right twist... 

124.50 

Do. 

No. 16 right twist... 

133.50 

Osaka. 

No. 14 right twist... 

132.00 

Do. 

No. 12 right twist... 

129.00 

Do. 

No. 16 right twist... 

131.00 

Mishima. 

No. 12 right twist... 

129.50 

Fhime. 


Yarn number and 
kind. 

Yen per 
bale. 

Spinning mill 

No. 12 right twist... 

126.00 

Amagasaki. 

No. 10 right twist... 

121.50 

Do. 

No. 8 right twist.... 

120.50 

Do. 

No. 10 right twist... 

121.50 

Fuji Gas. 

No. 8 right twist_ 

121.00 

Do. 

No. 10 right twist... 

122.00 

Osaka. 

No. 10 right twist... 

117.00 

Fuji Gas. 

No. 10 right twist... 

121.00 

Naigai Wata. 

No. 10 right twist... 

117.00 

Shimomura, 

No. 16 left twist 

139.25 

Kanegafuchi. 

(warp). 



No. 16 left twist_ 

138.25 

Do. 

No. 20 left twist_ 

140.25 

Do. 

No. 20 left twist 

142.25 

Do. 

(warp). 



MEDIUM YARNS.6 



No. 20. 

184.00 

Kanegafuchi. 

No. 24. 

184.00 

Do. 

No. 28. 

184.00 

Do. 

No. 30. 

184.00 

Do. 

No. 30. 

169.00 

Do. 

No. 32. 

172.00 

Do. 

No. 32. 

186.00 

Do. 

No. 20. 

177.00 

Fuji Gas. 

No. 24. 

178.00 

Do. 

No. 30. 

168.00 

Osaka. 

No. 30. 

168.00 

Osaka Godo. 

No. 32. 

172.00 

Do. 

No. 40. 

198.00 

* Do. 

DOUBLED YARNS. 



No. 32/2. 

189.00 

Ehime. 

No. 32/2. 

195.00 

Amagasaki. 

No. 32/2. 

195.00 

Osaka Godo. 

No. 32/3. 

194.00 

Do. 

No. 32/2. 

195.00 

Kanegafuchi. 

No. 20/2. 

152.00 

Do. 

No. 20/3. 

153.00 

Do. 

No. 42/2. 

218.00 

Amagasaki. 

No. 42/2. 

215.00 

Do. 

No.-42/2. 

225.00 

Osaka Godo. 

No. 42/2. 

215.00 

Tokyo. 

No. 42/2. 

214.00 

Amagasaki. 

No. 20/3. 

157.00 

Naigai Wata. 


“For crape. 


6 Used as a substitute for imported yarn. 


























































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


81 


Yarn number and 
kind. 

Y en per 
bale. 

Spinning mill. 

Yarn number and 
kind. 

Yen per 
bale. 

Spinning mill. 

DOUBLED YARNS — 

continued. 

No. 20/4. 

157.00 

Naigai Wata. 

Do. 

GASSED YARNS— 

continued. 

No. 80/2. 

356.00 

Nippon. 

Do. 

No. 20/5. 

157.00 

No. 80/2_ 

351.00 

No. 16/3. 

153.00 

Do. 

No. 80/2. 

344.00 

Do. 

No. 16/4. 

153.00 

Do. 

No. 100/2. .. 

512.00 

Do. 

No. 16/3. 

150.00 

Kanegafuchi. 


GASSED YARNS. 

No. 60/2. 

No. 60/2. 

286.00 

257.00 

Nippon. 

Do. 

SILKETS, 

UNBLEACHED.O 

No. 80/2. 

No. 80/2. 

384.00 
379.00 

Nippon. 

Do. 

No. 60/2. 

252.00 

Do. 

No. 60/2. 

285.00 

Do. 


« In Japan mercerized cotton yarns (there known as silkets) are made by the Nippon Boseki and the 
Fuji Gas Boseki. If bleached these mercerized yarns will be 5 yen per bale higher. 


QUOTATIONS OF KANEGAFUCHI COMPANY. 

For comparison there are given the equivalent prices in American 
terms of the yarns made by the Kanegafuchi Spinning Co. (Ltd.), as 
- this firm is the largest producer in Japan: 


Yam.s. 

Yen 

per 

bale. 

(tents 

per 

pound. 

Yarns. 

Yen 

per 

bale. 

Cents 

per 

pound. 

BLUE FISH AND TEMPLE BELL 
BRANDS. 

TCr» 8 ricrhl.-hfind twist. . 

125.50 

15.62 

BLUE FISH AND TEMPLE BELL 
BRANDS—continued. 

No. 28 left-hand twist. 

170.00 

21.16 

Nn 10 riVht-hanfl tAvist.. 

127. 50 

15.87 

No. 30 left-hand twist. 

169.00 

21.04 

11 nVht-hnTifl twist.. .. 

127.50 

15.87 

No. 32 left-hand twi.st. 

172.00 

21.41 

Nn ^9, rierht-hnnrl tw'ist 

134.50 

16.75 

No. 16/3. 

150.00 

18.68 

No 1 rifyht-hfi.nrl twi.st . 

137.50 

17.12 

No. 20/2. 

152.00 

18.92 

"Nln 14 rifTht-hf^nrl twist 

136.00 

16. 73 

No. 20/3. 

153.00 

19.05 

"KTa 1 riorht-VicinH twist 

136.00 

16. 73 

No. 32/2. 

195.00 

24.27 

No. 16 right-hand twist. 

No. 12 left-hand twist. 

No. 12 left-hand twist (warp). 

"NTn 10 twist 

138.25 

139.50 

141.50 
138.25 

17.21 
17.37 
17.62 
17.21 

EAGLE BRAND. 

No. 20 left-hand twist. 

184.00 

22.91 


139.25 
139.00 

17.34 

No. 24 left-hand twist. 

184.00 

22.91 

"Mn 18 Ipft-hnTirl twist 

17.31 

No. 28 left-hand twist. 

184.00 

22.91 


141.00 

17.55 

No. 30 left-hand twist. 

184.00 

22.91 

"Ma 90 IpIt-lTAnrl twist. 

140.25 

17.46 

No. 32 lelt-hand twist. 

186.00 

23.16 

No. 20 left-hand twist (warp). 

142.25 

17.71 




The Blue Fish and Temple Bell brands, up to and including 20s, 
are made vith varying mixtures of Indian, American, and probably 
Chinese cotton. The Eagle brands are made of American cotton to 
compete vith imported yarns required for special goods. The Temple 
Bell brand of 20s was selling at 17.71 cents per pound, but the Eagle 
brand of 20s sold at 22.91 cents a pound. For ordinary goods, how¬ 
ever, the mixed-cotton yarns are used, hence their price compares 
mth the price in the United States of all-American cotton yarns used 
for the same class of fabrics'. Japanese ordinarily make their weft, 
or filling, yarns with a right-hand twist and their warp yarns with a 
left-hand twist, but the yarns specifically marked warp in the fore¬ 
going table are made with somewhat more twist, for use as warp in 
cotton mills, than is given the ordinary left-hand twist warps used 
for hand-loom weaving, as there is less strain put on the warp in 
hand-loom than in power-loom weaving. The extra twist, of course, 
decreases the production and raises the price. 

48895°—14-6 












































































82 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN 


COTTON-YARN FUTURES. 

The Osaka Sampin Torishikisho (Osaka Three Products Exchange) 
consists of brokers who deal in three-month time or future trans¬ 
actions in cotton yarns—the present month, the next month, and 
the month after next. Every three months a committee of the 
exchange makes up a relative price classification of the various yarns 
that can be offered on delivery. The reclassification in November, 
1913, fixed the relative price for yarns in these transactions during 
February, March, and April, 1914, as follows; the price difference is 
stated in yen per bale: 

NO. 16 COTTON YARN WITH RIGHT-HAND TWIST. 


Mills. 


Trade-mark. 


Difference 
above (-f) 
or below 
(—) stand¬ 
ard. 


Kanegafuchi Boseki 

Settsu Boseki.. 

Osaka Godo Boseki. 
Kanegafuchi Boseki. 
Osaka Godo Boseki. 

Settsu Boseki.. 

Kurashiki Boseki... 

Fukushima. 

Do. 

Kanegafuchi Boseki. 
Osaka Boseki. 

Do. 

Kurashiki Boseki... 

Sakai Boseki. 

Do.. 

Do.. 

Settsu Boseki. 

Handa Boseki. 

Do. 

Miye Boseki. 

Sanuki Boseki. 


Ran Gio (blue fish).... 

Tachi Uma (standing horse).. 

So Roku (two deer). 

Tsurigane (temple beU).. 

So Roku (two deer) «.. 

(Mark in triangle).. 

Samba (three horses).. 

Funa Bijin (beauty on boat).. 
Sen Men (folding-fan, open).. 
Ka Cho (flower and butterfly) 
Kin Zo (golden elephant)_ 

Opi. 


Yen. 


+3.50 
+2.50 
+2.00 
+2.00 
+1.00 
+ 1.00 
+ 1.00 
+ 1.00 
Standard. 




— 1.00 


— 1.00 


X 

Samba (three horses)«. 

Tenjin (Shinto priest). 

Soki (mutual enjoyment). 

Kuro Fuji(Mt. Fuji, in black). 

Hei (a Japanese character). 

Chosen Soshi (farewell to child)..... 

Sanyo (three sheep). 

Konsan (three Japanese characters in dark blue) 
Japanese character “Sa” in diamond. 


— 1.00 
— 2.00 
— 2.00 
— 2.00 
— 2.00 
—3.00 
—4.00 
—4.00 
—5.00 


NO. 20 COTTON YARN WITH LEFT-HAND TWIST. 


Kanegafuchi Boseki. 

Do.. 

Osaka Godo Boseki. 

Settsu Boseki. 

Do. 

Kanegafuchi Boseki. 

Do. 

Meiji. 

Settsu Boseki. 

Kanegafuchi Boseki. 
Fukushima Boseki.. 

Osaka Boseki. 

Kurashiki Boseki... 

Miye Boseki. 

Fuji Gas Boseki. 

Sakai Boseki. 

Tokyo Boseki. 

Do..*... 

Wakayama Boseki.. 

Do. 

Matsuyama Boseki.. 

Do. 

Naigai Wata Boseki. 


Tsurigane (temple bell) c. 

Ran Gio (blue fish). 

So Roku Gwo deer). 

Japanese character ‘‘Se" in triangle. 

Kiyaku (phoenix). 

Tsurigane (temple bell)d. 

San Kwan (three rings). 

Jitsu Getsu (sun and moon). 

Mark of Koriyama branch mill. 

Inu (dog). 

Kairio Fukusoke (prosperous fellow) 

Shiro (white). 

Samba (three horses). 

Oka San (three red)... 

Ito Fuji (“Fuji yam”). 

Soki (mutual enjoyment). 

Aka Botan (red peony). 

Aka Kamewari (breaking red vase).. 

Crest in double circle. 

Hi Garasu (sun and crow). 

Matsu (pine). 

Matsu Kmuma (pine on cart). 

Karako (Chinese children). 


+4.00 
+4.00 
- +3.00 

+3.00 
+3.00 
+ .50 
+ .50 
+ .50 
Standard. 
(&) 

(«>) 

— .50 

— .50 

— .50 

— .50 
—1.50 
—1.50 
—1.50 
—1.50 

__1 c;n 


—1.50 

—1.50 

—1.50 


o These quotations are for domestic packing; other quotations are for the export, or foreign, style bale 
of 400 pounds containing 40 bundles of 10 pounds each. Domestic, or half, bales weigh only 200 pounds and 
contain 20 bundles of 10 pounds each. 

Same as standard. 

< Produced in Kwansai. 

Produced in Tokyo. 







































































































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


83 


NO. 20 COTTON YARN WITH LEFT-HAND TWIST—Continued. 


Mills. 

1 

Trade-mark. 

Difference 
above (-t-) 
or below 
(—) stand¬ 
ard. 

Terada Boseki. 

Futaba Tsuru (two storks). 

Yen. 

—1.50 

Sanyo Boseki. 

Ichiwa Karasu (one crow). 

—2.00 

Kishiwada Boseki. 

Aka Ebisu (God of Prosperity in red). 

—2.00 

Do. 

ICi Ebisii (God of Prosperity in yellow'). 

—2.00 

Ehime Boseki. 

Oban (old coin of oval shape). 

—2.50 

Takaoka. 

Hashi (star). 

—2.50 

Ozu Hosoito Boseki.. 

Kiku (chrysanthemum). 

—3.00 

Kurashiki Boseki. 

^V'ago Jin (crowd of people).. 

—3.00 

Handa Boseki. 

Chosen Soshi (farewell to child). 

—3.00 

Nippon Boseki. 

Takara (treasures)... 

—3.50 

H^da Boseki. 

Sanyo (three sheep). 

—3.50 

Shikama Boseki. 

Kanoko (a fawn). 

—3.50 

Sanuki Boseki. 

Japanese character ‘‘Sa” in diamond.. 

—5.50 




No other yarn can be offered for delivery on contracts for these 
numbers unless they have been examined and their price relative to 
the standard fixed 40 days in advance of such offering. 

The foregoing ratings are given to show that there is considerable 
variation in the prices of the same counts made by different mills. 
In the future transaction contracts for 16s weft, the standard taken is 
that made by the Fukushima Boseki and in 20s warp the standard 
taken is that made by the Koriyama mill of the Settsu Boseki. 
These are the principal counts made in Japan, especially for export 
trade, hence are the only two quoted on the exchange. 

FUNCTIONS OF EXCHANGE. 

The Osaka Sampin Torishikisho is purely a speculative market and 
occupies the same position in the Japanese yarn trade that the New 
York Cotton Exchange, for instance, holds in the American raw cotton 
market. The prices quoted on the yarn exchange at Osaka for the 
standards in 16s and 20s correspond to the prices quoted on the New 
York Cotton Exchange for the standard grade of cotton, which is 
there taken as middling. The analogy further applies to the fact 
that this yarn exchange is used both for wild speculation and for 
legitimate hedging, that it has considerable effect on the actual spot 
markets, but that the prices quoted there for the standaixls and the 
variations between the standards and others may be, and at times 
are, quite different from those ruling for actual transactions on the 
spot market. 

The foregoing list, however, gives an idea of the variations in the 
prices of 16s weft and 20s warp made by various mills, the price 
variations being due to the fact that some mills prepare and spin much 
better than others, and that there is quite a difference in the various 
yarns, owing to the proportions of various cottons used in the mixings. 







































IMPORTATION OF YARN. 


The importation ot cotton yarn into Japan may be divided into two 
periods, first, the period of advancing imports up to the end of 1888, 
and,, second, the period of declining imports that followed. The 
official statistics of Japan record the imports of cotton yarn as follows: 


1868 

1869 

1870 

1871 

1872 

1873 

1874 

1875 

1876 

1877 

1878 

1879 

1880 
1881 
1882 

1883 

1884 

1885 

1886 

1887 

1888 

1889 

1890 


\ ears. 


Quantity. 


Value.® 


Kin. 


Yen. 


3,658,694 
5,918,040 
8,862,559 
7,968,229 
13,033,723 
9,528,228 
10,488,565 
13,493,308 
14, 699,986 
15,035,465 
27,394,331 
23,571,300 
28,597,132 
27,726,436 
25,297,100 
26,640,625 
21,186, 798 
21,397,380 
24,630,386 
33,296,530 
47,439,639 
42,810,912 
31,909,302 


1,239,580 
3,418,148' 
4,522,194 

3.520.141 

5.335.141 
3,400,225 
3,573,257 
4,058,036 
4,151,664 
4,084,714 
7,205,931 
6,179,857 
7, 700,477 
7,263, 776 
6,572,012 
6,164, 721 
5,153,252 
5,190,095 
5,905,457 
8,235,204 

13,611,898 
12,522,039 
9,928,092 


1891 

1892 

1893 

1894 

1895 

1896 

1897 

1898 

1899 

1900 

1901 

1902 

1903 

1904 

1905 

1906 

1907 

1908 

1909 

1910 

1911 

1912 


Y ears. 


Quantity. 


Value.® 


Kin. 


Yen. 


17,337,600 
24,308,491 
19,405,152 
15,942, 797 
14,591,083 
20,014,128 
16,090,855 
15,929,991 
8,210,647 
9,050,988 
5,994,621 
2,697,638 
1,061,633 
537,712 
2,235,025 
5,652,999 
1,785,536 
1,365,332 
961,478 
304,876 
552,924 
568,648 


5,589,290 
7,131,980 
7,284,243 
7,977,366 
7,082,975 
11,372,001 
9,625,258 
8 , .547,589 
4,963,326 
7,043,046 
4,873,738 
1,747,875 
766,287 
343,290 
1,701,866 
4,656, .342 
2,020,304 
1,395,760 
868 , 739 
344,187 
684,463 
630,732 


o For value of the yen prior to 1897 see p. 11. 


TREND OF YARN TRADE. 

The imports of cotton yarn gradually increased from 3,658,694 
kin (4,839,611 pounds) in 1868 until they reached a maximum of 
47,439,639 kin (62,751,731 pounds) in 1888. The value in 1888 was 
13,611,898 yen, or, with the yen equivalent to 75.3 cents, $10,449,759, 
giving an average value of 16.6 cents per pound. At that time the 
imports of Indian yarn had increased rapidly until they slightly ex¬ 
ceeded those from England. 

In 1889 the imports were almost as large, but since that year they 
have decreased steadily. Though this decline was due in part to the 
imposition of higher tariffs, it was more largely caused by the increased 
output of the Japanese mills. At first, as the mills began to increase 
during the eighties, they were almost swamped by the rising tide of 
yarn from India, and hand-loom weavers preferred the foreign yarn 
because it was not only better spun but also made of better material. 
Moreover, the chief yarn coming from India was No. 20, while at that 
time no Japanese mill made 3 ^arn as fine as this, most of them running 
on counts under No. 16. In 1890 the association passed resolutions 
requiring the mills to use better raw material and to make at least 

84 






























































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


85 


some No. 20 or finer yarn in each mill. By the time the crisis of 
1890-1892 was over the mills were in position to meet the competition 
of Indian coarse counts and gradually drove them off the market. 
Ihe mills turned from Chinese to Indian cotton and mixed in Ameri¬ 
can cotton until the home yarns were of better quality than those 
imported, which were entirely of Indian cotton. By the end of 1900 
the imports of Indian yarns ceased entirely, and the Indian spinners 
have since had a hard time to hold their own against Japanese yarn 
in their chief market in China. 

As the country became more prosperous the demand for fine goods 
and for fine yarns gradually increased. The English were able to 
maintain their share of the yarn market for a longer period, though 
as the home mills began to make medium and then fine yarns the 
counts supplied by England were forced up to a higher level. With 
the increased production of fine yarns in Japan since 1898 the sales of 
English yarns have gradually dwindled, though England still sup¬ 
plies a small amount of the higher counts, especially gassed yarns, 
from No. 60 to No. 100. In time the Japanese expect to shut out 
these, and there will then be no importation of yarn, excepting possi¬ 
bly a few specialties. 


YARN IMPORTS FROM VARIOUS COUNTRIES. 


The imports of foreign yarns, by countries, since 1885 have been 
as follows: ' 


Years. 

British 

India. 

United 

Kingdom. 

All others. 

Total. 

1885 . 

Kin. 

9,266,181 
11,055,090 
17,065,479 
24,164,098 
24,146,458 
13,970, 623 
4,548,054 
8,258,369 
4,865,040 

Kin. 

12.131,199 
13,575,296 
16,231,051 
23,274,999 
18,658,291 
17,911,109 

Kin. 

Kin. 

21,397,380 

1886. 


24', 630; 386 
33,296,530 
47,439 639 
42,810,912 
31,909,302 
17,337,600 
24,308,491 
19,405,152 
15,942,797 
14,591,083 
20,014,128 
16,090,855 
15.929,991 
8,210,647 

1887 .... 


1^8 . 

542 

1889 . 

6,163 

18W . 

27,570 
2,138 
1,785 
12,300 

1891 . 

12,787,408 
16,048,337 
14,527,812 
13,606,172 
13.247,316 
19,157,718 

1892 . 

1893 . 

1894 . 

2,333.625 

3,000 

1895 . 

1,341,691 
856,222 
106,607 
105,915 
75,599 

2,076 

1896 . 

188 

1897 . 

15,984,017 
15.809,158 

231 

1898 .-. 

14,918 

18^ . 

8,130, 482 

4,666 

1900 . 

30,239 

9,010,637 
' .5,984,120 
2,689,260 
1,027.811 
503,586 
2,171,197 
5,576,215 

1,674,043 

10,112 

9,050,988 

190i . 

10,501 

5,994', 621 
2,697, 638 

1902 . 


8 ', 378 

1903 . 


33,822 

i; 061,633 

1904 . 


34 126 

'537,712 

im5 . 

12,907 

50,921 

2.235,025 

1906 . 

76,784 

5,652,999 
1,785,536 

1907 . 


in', 493 



1, 298,889 

66 ,443 

1,365,332 



' 907,327 

54,151 

'961,478 



209,771 

95,105 

304,876 



441,946 

no, 978 

552,924 



461,231 

107,417 

568,648 





India, on coarse yarns, and the United Kingdom, on fine yarns, 
were for a while the only comj^eting countries, but when imports of 
coarse counts from India ceased competition with England was 
begun by other countries making finer yarns, mainly Germany. 
















































86 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


TRADE IN 1912. 


The total imports rapidly declined after 1900, though a temporary 
spurt was made during the boom after the Russian War. The imports 
of yarn in 1912 were from the following countries: 


Countries. 

Quantity. 

Value. 

Average 

value 

per 

pound. 

Kin. 

Pounds. 

Yen. 

Dollars. 

United Kingdom. 

461,231 
86,242 
19,786 
1,389 

610,103 
114,078 
26,172 
1,837 

534,069 

80,031 

15,550 

1,082 

265,966 
39,855 
7,744 
539 

Cents. 
43.59 
34.93 
29. 59 
29. 34 

Germany...". 

Belgium.. 

France. 

Total. 

568,648 

752,190 

630,732 

314,104 

41. 76 



As England supplies proportionately more gassed yarns, its yarns 
average higher in price than the others. 


CHARACTER OF YARN IMPORTED. 


According to the classification adopted in 1903 the imports of cotton 
yarn were divided as follows: 


Years. 

Single. 

Two-ply. 

Gassed. 

All others. 

Total. 

1903. 

Kin. 
593,599 
338,758 
619,817 
1,308,860 
414,019 
326,991 
227,233 
84,285 
155,972 

Kin. 
374,628 
143,079 
979,729 
2,301,368 
358,069 
200,320 
154,286 
12,251 
43,725 

Kin. 
80,213 
48,460 
621,274 
1,986,993 
883,819 
774,350 
489,148 
109,191 
220,763 

Kin. 

13,193 
7,415 
14,205 
55,778 
129,629 
63,671 
90,811 
99,149 
132,464 

Kin. 
1,061,633 
537,712 
2,235,025 
5,652,999 
1,785,536 
1,365,332 
961,478 
304,876 
552,924 

1904. 

1905. 

1906. 

1907. 

1908. 

1909. 

1910. 

1911. 



In 1912 the classification was changed and the imports of yarn were 
stated as follows: 438,709 kin, valued at 514,944 yen, of grey yarn; 
6,654 kin, valued at 7,993 yen, of bleached yarn; and 123,285 kin, 
valued at 107,795 of other yarns; total, 568,648 kin, valued at 
630,732 yen. 

Of the 568,648 kin of cotton yarns imported in 1912, 302,787 kin 
were entered at Kobe, 256,482 kin at Yokohama, and 9,379 kin at 
Osaka. 

Little more than the figures are needed in regard to the imports 
of cotton yarn into Japan to show that this trade is becoming a 
closed chapter. 















































EXPORTATION OF YARN. 

CHRONOLOGICAL SUMMARY. 

By 1880 the production of hand-spun yarn had declined'until it 
was no longer a factor in the home trade, but the Japanese mills 
met with severe competition on their coarse counts from Indian 
yarns and experienced so much trouble in winning their home market 
that they were not in position to start competition abroad. 

In 1890, however, during the severe economic crisis, there was 
such a congestion of yarn that the mills began to consider the possi¬ 
bility of finding an outlet for some of it abroad. In 1890 the export 
trade was started Avith a sample shipment of 31 bales. From this 
small beginning the export trade has progressed, with many ups 
and downs, until cotton yarn is now, next to raw silk, the chief 
export from the country. 

STATISTICAL SUMMARY OF EXPORT TRADE. 

The complete history of the cotton yarn export trade of Japan 
is summarized as follows: 



Associa¬ 

tion 

statis¬ 

tics. 


Government statistics. 


Average 

price 

per 

pound. 

Years. 

Quantity. 

Value. 


Kin. 

Pounds. 

Yen. 

Dollars. 

1890. 

Bales. 

31 

9,337 

12,351 

2,364 

2,066 

Cents. 

16. 73 

1891. 

108 

32,387 

42,481 

7,873 

6,117 

14.40 

1892. 

109 

32,754 

43,326 

7,720 

5,288 

12.20 

1893. 

1,053 

315,993 

417,457 

59,176 

36,097 

8.65 

1894. 

11,800 

3,538,868 
3,532,893 

4,681,108 

955,530 

473,943 

11.35 

1895. 

11,780 

4,673,205 

1,034,479 

530,688 

12.37 

1896. 

43,294 

12,974,713 

17,162,561 

4,029,425 

2,123,507 

12.08 

1897. 

140,116 

42, 034,975 

55,602,606 

13,490,197 
20,116,586 

6,718,118 

12. 36 

1898. 

229,446 

68,833,763 

91,051,237 

10,018,060 

12. 36 

1899. 

341,162 

102,360,832 

135,399,838 

28,521,438 

14,203,676 

10. 49 

1900. 

208,333 

62,619, 660 

82,831,408 

20,589,263 

10,253,453 

12.38 

1901. 

209,167 

62, 751,795 

83,006,192 

21,465,573 

10,689,855 

12.88 

1902. 

197,481 

59,244,283 

78,366, 560 
121,907,552 

19,901,522 

9,910,958 

12.65 

1903. 

307,202 

92,160,808 

31,418,614 

15,646,470 

12.83 

1904. 

257,307 

77,192,4.53 

102,107,861 

29,268,456 

14,575,691 

14.27 

1905. 

267,383 

80,215,088 

106,106,112 

33,246,462 

16,556,738 
17,581,156 

15,60 

1906. 

267,348 

80,204,406 

106,091,982 

35,303,526 
30,342,914 

16. 57 

1907. 

223,964 

67,941,393 

89,870,836 
66,605,524 

15, no, 773 

16.81 

1908. 

167,842 

50,353,065 

20,723,904 

10,320,504 

15. 40 

1909. 

258,878 

77,663,396 

102,730,810 

31,656,770 

15,765,071 

22,582,788 

15. 35 

1910. 

347,633 

101,167,767 

133,821,687 

45,346,964 
40,213,289 

16.88 

1911. 

285,009 

78,654,361 

104,041,629 

20,026,218 

19.25 

1912.. 

374,932 

106,169,458 

140,437,774 

53,680,746 
35,319,532 

26,733,012 
17,589,127 

19.08 

1913 a. 

236,372 

68,865,522 

91,093,246 

19. 29 


a Six months. 


87 



















































88 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


PROMOTION OF EXPORT TRADE. 

The inauguration of an export trade in cotton yarn was due to the 
Japan Cotton Spinners’ Association. At the important meeting of 
1890, called to consider the critical state of the industry and the great 
yarn congestion, the question of developing a foreign market for surplus 
yarn was one of the principa matters discussed. A committee of 
seven spinning mill owners was appointed to consider the feasibility 
of this project and it reported as follows: 

1. To realize the export of yarn the mills should be prepared to export at a loss for 
five years. The export should not amount to more than 30,000 bales per annum. 

2. Every mill should export for every 1,000 spindles 1 bale of yarn, with an extra 
5 bundles (of 10 pounds each) for the last fraction of a thousand spindles. The export 
should consist of about 70 per cent No. 20 warp and 30 per cent Nos. 12, 14, and 16 
weft. Mills exporting more than their allotment could do so, but at their own risk. 

3. The price of the yarn exported should be 2 yen per bale cheaper than the selling 
price in Japan. 

4. When in the sale of the yam a profit is realized this should be divided in propor¬ 
tion to the number of bales exported; in case of a loss, however, this should be charged 
to all the mills in proportion to their number of spindles and regardless of whether 
they have exported yarn or not. This method.of proportioning profit or loss should 
apply to the first year’s sales, after which a further contract may be arranged if desired. 

5. A special committee should be appointed of three spinning mills to devise ways 
and means of collecting the yarn, packing and shipping, and of effecting the sale in 
Shanghai and neighborhood. 

These propositions were adopted and in 1890 a trial shipment was 
made to China of 31 bales, weighing 12,351 pounds and valued at 
S2,066. 

In 1891 there were exported 108 bales, totaling 32,387 kin (42,481 
pounds), of which 25,952 kin were sent to Korea and 6,435 kin to 
China. In 1892 there were exported 109 bales, totaling 32,754 kin, 
of which 32,083 kin were sent to Korea and only 671 kin to China 
proper. In 1893 there were exported 1,053 bales, totaling 315,993 
kin, of which 265,117 kin were taken by China and 26,962 kin by 
Korea, while a market for 23,914 kin was found in Hongkong. 

By this time the mills had begun to use more Indian and less 
Chinese cotton, thus improving the quality of the yarn. This, with 
the low price in 1893, gave them a foothold in China. 

ABOLISHMENT OF EXPORT DUTY. 

On July 1, 1894, the Japanese Government, in response to the 
repeated representations of the industry, canceled the export duty 
on cotton yarn. The mills immediately called a meeting to take 
advantage of the changed conditions. They decided to cooperate 
in furthering the export trade, which had become more necessary to 
them with the increase in production, and to this end it was deemed 
necessary to make a better name for Japanese yarn. The mills were 
asked to improve the quality offered for export, to standardize the 
weight and packing, to place in every bale the mill trade-mark and 
the mark of the association, and to put the association mark on the 
covering. Penalties were provided for those not adhering strictly fo 
the rules. 

The time was favorable, as exports of Indian yarn to China that 
year were lessened by the unfavorable exchange between those coun¬ 
tries caused by the reform of the Indian currency in 1893; more- 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


89 


over, the cost of transporting Indian yarn was much greater than 
that on Japanese yarn. The Japanese trade suffered somewhat 
because of the war with China and also from the doubling of the 
Shanghai likin tax from 1.26 to 2.52 taels per bale, but favored by 
the setback to their main competitor they increased their yarn ex¬ 
ports to 11,800 bales. The next year, with heavier shipments from 
India, Japanese sales in China decreased, but a larger amount was 
sent to Korea, so that the year’s exports were about the same, amount¬ 
ing to 11,780 bales in 1895 as against 11,800 in 1894. Before the 
war with China the shipments of Japanese yarn to Korea were entirely 
in the hands of Chinese merchants, and the intermediate charges 
were heavy, so that the price at which merchants quoted Japanese 
yarn in Korea was too high to permit much trade. With the closing 
of the war in the spring of 1895 the Japanese eliminated the Chinese 
merchants, and got in direct touch with the consumer, with the result 
that over 30 per cent of their exports in 1895 were taken by Korea 
and the basis was laid for a steady trade. 

In 1896 the Indian mills were temporarily paralyzed by the out¬ 
break of plague in Bombay, and the Japanese mills promptly seized 
the opportunity to establish their footing in the most important 
yarn-importing country of the world. The Indian mills were hamp¬ 
ered not only by the plague but because of the unfavorable exchange 
caused by the decrease in the price of silver. No. 20 yarn, for in¬ 
stance, sold in Shanghai at 72 taels per picul, while the equivalent 
price in Bombay was 80 taels, as against the Kanegafuchi price in 
Japan .of only 70 taels. In the first part of 1897, the period of the 
year when the Chinese demand is strongest, Japanese prices were 
still low; moreover, the Japanese, by the mixture of American with 
Indian cotton, had improved their yarn until it was of better q^uality 
than the Bombay yarn made of Indian cotton exclusively. Chinese 
and Korean purchases increased greatly, while the exports to Hong¬ 
kong rose from 272,800 kin in 1896 to 9,338,935 kin in 1897. The 
total yarn exports increased from 11,780 bales in 1895 to 43,294 
bales in 1896 and 140,116 bales in 1897. 

GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE IN FINANCING EXPORTS. 

In 1897 the gold standard was adopted in Japan, and with the 
decreasing price of silver the mills found their export trade endan¬ 
gered. A meeting of manufacturers was called, at which it was 
decided that as the situation was caused by action of the Government 
it was reasonable to call on the Government for aid. A committee 
was appointed to interview the Government and ask special facilities 
for loans against drafts on export yarns. The Government acceded 
to the request and gave the Yokohama Specie Bank a capital of 3,000,- 
000 yen to finance the exportation of 10,000 bales of yarn to Shanghai 
and Hongkong during the ensuing six months, the mills to be advanced 
75 per cent of the value of shipments, at 6 per cent, against export 
documents. This facilitated the handling of the export orders. 

At the beginning of 1898 the price of Japanese yarn was low and 
the mills pushed their export trade to both China and Korea; they 
also succeeded in selling 15,283,514 kin (20,216,574 pounds) to Hong¬ 
kong, which still is the record for Japanese yarn sales to that place. 
The total exports for the year were 229,446 bales. 


90 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


In 1899 the price of Japanese yarn was exceptionally low, the total 
exports averaging only 10.49 cents per pound, so that there was a 
great increase in the amounts taken by China and Korea, the former 
being much the largest. The exports of yarn to Hongkong decreased 
because of the rebellion in the Canton section, as most of the yarn 
taken by Hongkong was for use in South China. The increase in the 
Chinese demand, however, was so great, owing mainly to the low 
price, that the exports for 1899 totaled 341,162 bales, or 135,399,838 
pounds, valued at $14,203,676. So far as concerns quantity, this 
remained the high-water mark until the new record of 1912. 

In 1898 the association had proposed to export regularly 250,000 
bales a year and give a rebate of 2 yen as an export premium, and had 
also requested the Government to guarantee this export premium to 
the amount of 500,000 yen. The Government had declined and in¬ 
stead recommended that the mills try to increase their financing 
powers. In 1899, however, the Bank of Japan gave the Yokohama 
S})ecie Bank 3,000,000 yen to finance the export trade in yarn. As 
the contract between the Yokohama Specie Bank and the associa¬ 
tion is still of interest to-day it is given below: 

1. The Yokohama Specie Bank will give in its branches in Shanghai and Hongkong, 
against the deposit of the goods, an advance of 80 per cent of the ruling value of the 
goods, either cotton yarn or cotton cloth. Should, however, the value of the goods in¬ 
crease greatly, then the average of the last three months shall be taken. 

2. Interest to be at the rate of 6 per cent and the period of the loan not to be over 
two months. However, this period can be prolonged at the discretion of the bank. 

3. Claim papers made out according to the law of the land shall be given to the 
branch of the Yokohama Specie Bank concerned. 

4. The above-mentioned credit of 3,000,000 yen is a revolving one and the Yokohama 
Specie Bank gives to the members of the association loans, according to paragraph 1 
above, in rotation according to priority of application. 

5. When members of the association export yarn or cloth from Yokohama, Kobe, or 
Nagasaki, and wish to issue bills of exchange the Yokohama Specie Bank will meet 
them, as far as the 3,000,000-yen credit permits. Drafts to be drawn at 13 days and 
exchange based on 10 days’ sight. 

G. The amount of the draft is to be based on the ruling price of yarn and cloth, in¬ 
cluding freight and insurance, as acknowledged by the Yokohama Specie Bank, and 
the credit is to be from 70 to 75 per cent of the value, at the option of the bank. 

7. YTien a member of the association exports yarn or cloth and does not issue drafts 
against it, but wishes to obtain an advance on it from the Yokohama Specie Bank, he 
can do so by bringing a security. 

8. This contract can be canceled at the option of the Yokohama Specie Bank, but 
three months’ notice shall be given to the association. In that case all money so ad¬ 
vanced shall be repaid according to the stipulations in the contract. 

The mills at that time were very short of working capital as com¬ 
pared with their fixed capital or with the amount of business done. 
In addition, the credit conditions of the country as a whole were bad 
and money tight, and the mills had difficulty in getting the banks to 
finance their exports even at high rates of interest. This action of 
the Government in putting 3,000,000 yen at the disposal of the ^mrn 
exporters at the comparatively low rate of 6 per cent was therefore a 
great help to the trade. 

In May, 1900, came the Boxer outbreak in China. This not only 
caused a sharp decline in the yarn exports, but affected the whole in¬ 
dustry adversely for two or three years, causing short time, amalga¬ 
mations, and failures. The crisis of this period was largely due to the 
unsound financial position of industrial concerns operating with bor¬ 
rowed working capital, so that any tightness in the money market im¬ 
mediately affected their workings. The Boxer troubles only served 



COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


91 


to bring this to a head. From the 341,162 bales of 1899 the exports 
of yarn dropped to 208,333 bales in 1900, to 209,167 bales in 1901, and 
to 197,481 bales in 1902. 


REBATE SYSTEM PROVES FAILURE. 

With the unsatifactory condition of the yarn trade at home as well 
as abroad the mills again began to debate a proposition discussed at 
previous meetings relative to the advisability of promoting the ex¬ 
port trade by premiums. The plan was to use for this purpose the 
rebates on the cotton freight from Bombay to Japan, which, according 
to the contract between the association and the Nippon Yusen 
Kaisha, are divided among the members of the association in propor¬ 
tion to the quantities of Indian cotton carried for them by this line. 
On September 5, 1902, a special meeting was called and after heated 
debate the proposition was carried and a committee named that laid 
down the following conditions: 

Premiums shall be paid not only on the export of yarn of No. 20 and under, but also 
for ply yarns of the same qualities and for cotton cloth, but only when directly ex¬ 
ported. 

The premium shall amount to 3 yen per bale (of 300 kin or 400 pounds of yarn), and to 
1.10 yen per 300 kin of cloth. 

All who wish to obtain this premium for yarn or cloth specially made for export 
must register in a book kept by the association. A register shall also be kept for those who 
export on their own account. The first kind of export goods (yarn) should be exported 
within one month after the finish of the delivery period, which should not be longer 
than three months. In the case of cloth the goods must be shipped within one month 
after the date of registration on penalty of having the exporter’s name removed from 
the register and the payment of a fine equal to the amount of the export premium. 

The booking periods are divided as follows: December 1 to May 31 and June 1 to 
November 30. The premium on yarns and cloths exported during the first period 
will be distributed on July 15 and for those exported during the second period on Janu¬ 
ary 15; every time, however, against the return of the certificate which one must 
obtain when producing the bill of lading and the special export permit certified to by 
the association. 

In case the premium in any one period should not be covered by the cotton freight 
rebates paid by the Nippon Yusen Kaisha, or if there is a surplus, such shall be settled 
at the next period. 

In case premiums are obtained by false pretenses on goods to which the premiums 
do not apply, then the exporter shall forfeit not only the premium, but also the right 
to register. 

This arrangement came into force September 15, 1902. From the 
very beginning it was criticized and difficulties arose. On the one 
hand there were differences of opinion between the spinning mills in 
the Provinces of Owari and Ise and the others who, against the 
wishes of this group of mills, had obtained a majority sufficient to 
force through the measure. On the other, the Chinese merchants 
residing in Japan formed an agreement under a heavy penalty to buy 
no Japanese yarn unless the premium was paid in cash at the time of 
export. 

This caused a cancellation of the whole premium arrangement at a 
special meeting called September 29, 1902. The register was closed 
on that day and premiums paid only to those who had registered their 
goods from September 15 to 29 for export not later than October 25. 

The yarn registered from the 15th to the 29th of September, 1902, 
amounted to 19,064 bales, on which was paid an export premium of 
57,192 yen, and the amount of cloth was 656,931 kin, on which there 
was paid an export premium of 2,408.75 yen. As it was obvious that 



92 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


the premium arrangement would be canceled at the meeting on Sep¬ 
tember 29, no less than 8,032 bales of yarn and 72,257 kin of cloth 
were registered on that day in order to obtain the premium. Thus 
the export-premium system ended within 15 days after it had been 
put in force and without having accomplished any benefit to the 
industry. 


CONDITIONS FOLLOWING WAR WITH RUSSIA. 

In 1903 a better demand from China and improved working condi¬ 
tions were responsible for an increase of the yarn exports to 307,202 
bales. On February 10, 1904, war was declared with Russia and this 
led to a decreased output from the mills. Very soon, however, with 
the demand that arose for yarns to make the supplies required by the 
army, the production expanded, and upon the victorious ending of the 
war the industry entered on a period of great prosperity, with every 
mill working to its fuU capacity. The production increased consid¬ 
erably, but with the larger demand from the hand looms, as well as 
from the increasing number of power looms in mills making cloths 
for which a market had been found in Manchuria, the exports of yarn 
remained stationary, amounting to 257,307 bales in 1904, 267,383 
bales in 1905, and 267,348 bales in 1906; with higher prices they de¬ 
clined to 223,964 bales in 1907. During 1907 production began to 
overtake demand, and with the collapse in the boom and tighter 
money the mills by 1908 were once more faced with the necessity of 
running short time. 

In spite of the reduction of output by short time there was a great 
congestion of yarn and declining prices at home, wliile the demand 
for Japanese yarn in China was rapidly decreasing, owing partly to the 
depreciation of silver and partly to the greater activity of Indian 
spinners in that market. In February, 1908, the total mill cost of 
making a bale (300 kin or 400 pounds) of No. 20 cotton yarn was 
stated to be 125 yen, of which 105 yen represented the value of the 
mixed cotton used and 20 yen the cost of manufacturing. Against 
this, No. 20 yarn was quoted on the Osaka Exchange at only 117 
yen for the best and 109^ yen for medium grade. The Shanghai 
market quotation for the medium grade was 95 taels, which was 
equivalent to about 113.70 yen a bale. Deducting 1 yen for freight, 
30 sen for insurance, and 5 yen for customs duty and other charges 
and expenses, the price realized in Japan was only 107.40 yen, or a 
loss of 2.10 yen per bale in shipping to China. In consequence of 
this there were failures among the yarn merchants, yarn stacked up 
in the warehouses at Kobe until there was no room for cotton, and, 
in view of the unfavorable circumstances, bankers hesitated to make 
advances on biUs. 


YARN EXPORT LOTTERY. 

As there was no prospect of an early improvement in the home 
demand, the mills concluded that it was necessary to increase their 
exports, even if they had to sell at a loss. As the demand abroad 
seemed no better than at home, there was much debate among the 
mills as to the best way to stimulate foreign demand, especially in 
China, but it was finally decided to hold lotteries, for winch tickets 
(called Keihinken) were to be given with every bale of yarn of which 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


93 


delivery was taken at the place of import. At first it was proposed 
to give prizes in money^ but as the Shanghai consular body objected 
the prizes were stated in bales and bundles of yarn, of which the value 
was defined. This system of stimulating yarn exports is so unique 
that the details are given in full. 

On February 18, 1908, at a special meeting of the Japan Cotton 
Spinners’ Association, at which 28 mills were represented, held at 
the Chamber of Commerce in Osaka, the following action was taken: 

Article 1. All members of the association producing coarse yarns of 20s and under, 
except yarns to be woven on their own looms, must conform to this agreement. 

Art, 2. A committee for fostering exports, to consist of 10, shall be elected from the 
members of the association. 

Art. 3. The committee shall elect five members by mutual vote and shall also elect 
its chairman. 

Art. 4. The members of this committee shall serve for one year and also be eligible 
for reelection. 

Art. 5. Premium tickets on export yarn shall be issued at the place of import, regu¬ 
lations pertaining thereto to be arranged by the committee. 

Art. 6. The expense of these premiums shall be charged to those members pro¬ 
ducing yams under No. 20, and shall be apportioned on the basis of 50 sen per bale 
produced, and in addition thereto 25 sen a bale for the same yarn when exported; 
provided that members suspending 30 per cent of their total spindles shall be released 
from this obligation. 

Art. 7. Members shall conform to the rules and regulations as determined by the 
committee for fostering exports. 

The first meeting of the committee was held at the Osaka Hotel, 
and after electing Mr. Sanji Mu to as chairman it discussed regula¬ 
tions under which lottery tickets were to be issued, the levying of 
expenses, and the places for stationing branches and agents. It 
was decided to offer 5 sen per ticket to the agents as commission. 
The regulations as to the issuing of lottery tickets were adopted as 
follows: 

1. One set of lottery tickets shall be issued for each bale of yarn (packed 40 bundles 
as the foreign system or 20 bundles as the Japanese system) under No. 20 exported 
from Japan after March 1, 1908. 

2. Those wishing tickets must report the yam count, the number of bales, trade¬ 
marks, and bale numbers, also places of departure and destination of the ships. 

3. Members of the association shall inclose a copy of the premium arrangements in 
each bale of yarn exported. 

4. All business relating to premium tickets and their issue shall be managed at the 
association branch at No. 5 Foochow Road, Shanghai, China. 

5. Premium tickets pertaining to the yam shall be offered by the agent or clerks 
of our branch as soon as a consignment of the steamship company or valid legal docu¬ 
ments are presented; provided that if it is impossible to deliver premium tickets at 
the place of import they shall be handled by some other convenient arrangement. 

6. Each lottery-ticket sheet shall be divided into 40 tickets and shall be issued in 
duplicate. 

7. Premium articles shall be offered to possessors of all tickets if not residing in 
Japan. 

8. The articles, numbers, and classes of premiums offered to be as follows: (1) One 
lot of 80 bales of No. 16 Japanese yarn (costing $10,000 Mexican); (2) two lots of 24 bales 
each of No. 16 Japanese yarn (costing total of $6,000 Mexican); (3) ten lots of 4 bales 
each of No. 16 Japanese yarn (costing total of $5,000 Mexican); (4) thirty lots of 1 
bale each of No. 16 Japanese yam (costing $125 Mexican each); (5) one hundred lots 
of one-half bale each of No. 16 Japanese yarn (costing $62.50 Mexican each); (6) nine¬ 
teen hundred lots of 3 bundles each of No. 16 Japanese yarn (costing $10 Mexican 
each; (7) beautiful paintings or sets of fancy post cards to be presented to all lots 
remaining uncalled. 

9. Distribution of premium tickets shall be closed up every two months, and after 
two months from last date issued the lottery will be held under the most impartial 
method. 

10. The place at which the lottery will be held shall be previously advertised. 


94 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


11. The results of the lottery drawings shall be advertised in the newspapers or other 
public manner. 

12. Delivery of premium articles shall take place at Shanghai, though premiums 
of the fifth class and below may be exchanged at our branches or agencies at Tientsin, 
Hongkong, Newchwang, Tsingtau, Hankow, Chemulpo, Fusan, and Haijo. 

13. Delivery of premiums drawn shall commence from the fifteenth day after the 
result is announced. Those who prefer to receive premium articles by parcel post 
can do so on payment of the postage. 

14. Those not claiming premium articles for a full year after the date advertised 
shall be considered as not wanting them. 

15. If tickets are soiled, broken, or damaged so they can not be proved to be genuine 
this renders them invalid. 

16. The form of ticket system to be used will be fixed separately. 

Supplementary : 1. This regulation shall start from March 1,1908, and shall be appli¬ 
cable to Japanese yarns imported before the above date which are still stored at the 
ports where imported. 

2. During the first period only, March and April of 1908, the associated companies 
shall inclose two sheets of premium tickets in every bale instead of putting tickets in 
every bundle of the yarn exported. 

APPORTIONMENT OF EXPENSES OF LOTTERY. 

In addition to the above regulations made by the committee as to 
the issuing of tickets and the drawings of the lottery, the following 
detailed rules governed the apportionment of the necessary expenses: 

1. Expenses in connection with this export encouragement shall be charged to the 
amounts produced of coarse yarns under No. 20, excepting those to be used for weaving 
at the mill, on the basis of 50 sen per bale of yarn produced, with an additional charge 
of 25 sen on each bale exported. 

2. The above-mentioned apportionment of expenses may be decreased or increased 
by the committee according to the condition of trade. 

3. All mills suspending 30 per cent or more of their total spindles shall be released 
from the payments mentioned above; provided, however, that involuntary stoppage 
due to imperfect or damaged machinery or to lack of operatives shall not be deemed 
suspension in the meaning intended. 

4. Members of the association must report the amount of the different kinds of yarn 
produced each month to the office of the association on the 5th of the following month; 
provided, they can use a regular association report, as to the yarns produced, in lieu 
thereof. 

5. The committee can inspect their bookings if it seems necessary for their reports. 

6. Members of the association making false reports as to their production in order 
to escape from or lessen the charged expenses shall be charged double expenses. 

7. If members of the association neglect to pay their export expense charges the 
amount due shall be deducted from the amount in the hands of the association due 
them from the freight rebate on Indian cotton. 

List of branches and agencies .—Branch, inspection office of Cotton Moisture Bureau, 
Shanghai, China; agent. Shin Sho Yoko, Tientsin, China; agent, Mitsui Yoko, New¬ 
chwang, China; agent, Mitsui Yoko, Chefoo, China; agent, Mitsui Yoko, Tsingtau, 
China; agent, Mitsui Yoko, Hongkong; agent, Nisshin Yoko, Hankow, China; agent, 
Mitsui Bussan, Chemulpo, Chosen; agent, Kumejo Awomi, Fusan, Chosen; agent, 
Kiyutaro Saito, Haijo, Chosen. 

At the second meeting of the committee, held March 5, 1908, it 
was decided to except doubled yarn from the rules given, in accord¬ 
ance with previous instances of working short time; to charge 
expenses for the yarns produced from March 1, 1908; and not to 
charge expenses on yarns still stored at the place of import if imported 
before March 1, 1908, but same to be entitled to the premiums. The 
same was to hold good for yarn shipped from the mill before March 1, 
but which was still in the export harbor and was to be forwarded 
before March 15. If exported after this date then such yarn was 
liable to the charge of 25 sen a bale as contribution to the expenses. 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


95 


At the tliird meeting of the committee, held April 21, it was decided 
that for yarns e:^orted to other countries than China (Hongkong 
being included in Cliina) lottery tickets should not be given, but instead 
thereof a premium of 75 sen a bale. Members, to obtain this pre- 
miurn, had to produce bill of lading and export certificate, and the 
premium applied only to yarn for wliich the contract was made from 
the day of this regulation and within the period of issuing of the 
second series, and which must be exported at the latest within 15 
days after this period. 

At the fourth meeting of the committee, on May 29, it was decided 
to continue the issue of premiums during a second period of three 
months from May 1 to July 31 on conditions similar to those of the 
first period. 

On July 7, 1908, a fifth meeting of the committee was held, and it 
was decided to issue a third series from August 1 to December 31. 
This was the last issue, for it was found that little was being achieved 
in the way of practical results. Moreover, the lottery system had 
been severely criticized from its beginning, and especially by miUs 
which had to sell below or near cost and at the same time give 
presents to the purchasers. 

At a sixth meeting of the committee, on December 3, 1908, it was 
decided that it was necessary to collect only 12 J sen on each bale 
produced and, in addition, only 6^ sen on each bale exported, and 
that after tlie final balancing of accounts any surplus remaining should 
be repaid to the members in proportion to the amounts paid in. 

LOTTERY DRAWINGS-AMOUNT OF EXPORTS. 

The three lottery drawings were held at the town }iall in Osaka in 
the presence of the standing committee of the association, the com¬ 
mittee for fostering exports, and Japanese and foreign yarn mer¬ 
chants. These lotteries were hold on July 17 and October 5, 1908, 
and April 2, 1909. The issue of lottery tickets during the three 
periods was as follows: 


Agencies. 

March and 
April. 

May, June, 
and July. 

Aug. 1 to 
Dec. 31. 

Shanghai..... 

40,979^ 

8,210^ 

' 1,670 

4,581 
2,923 
4,121 
2,544 
1,595 
l,861i 

23,975^ 
2,255 
5,417 
3,290 
1,860 

21,583i 

2,589 

5,482J 

6,700 

3,255 

460 

Tientsin. 

Chefoo.•. 

Tsingtau. 

Newchwang. 

Hankow. 

Chemulpo... 

i84| 

243 

95 

Fusan.. 




Total. 


68,4851 

37,320 

40,070 



During the second period cash export premiums were paid on the 
shipment of 3,131^ bales, of which 1,150 went to Hongkong, 675 to 
Manila, and 1,306^ to Chosen; during the third period cash export 
premiums were paid on 11,189^ bales, of which 1,393 went to Hong¬ 
kong, 467 to Manila, and 9,329J to Chosen. 


























96 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


The number of hales of cotton yarn exported during the life of the 
export yarn lottery scheme, from March 1 to December 31, 1908, 
was as follows: 


Bales. 

Mills. 

Bales. 

Mills. 

22,460 
21,343 

17,253 
12,521i 
12,068 
9,750 
3,423i 
2,656i 
2,5391 

Kasaoka. 

2,4461 
2,215 
1,462 
1,444 
990 
390 
175 
100 

70 

Kuhokichi. 

Sanuki. 

Watanabe. 

Sakai. 

Ehime. 

Osaka. 

Shikama. 

Miye. 

Kosho. 

Wakayama. 

Shimomura. 

Tokyo . 

Naigai Wata. 

Total. 

Matsuyama. 



Mills. 


Settsu. 
Kanegafuctii 
Fukushima. 
Kishiwada.. 
Kennshi.... 
Kurashiki.. 

Harima. 

Osaka Godo. 
Handa. 


Bales. 


42 

41i 

25 

10 

10 

7 


113,443 


Of some 36 mills at that time, only 24 participated in the yarn 
export trade and about seven-eighths of the exports were furnished 
by six mills, the Settsu, Kanegafuchi, Fukushima, Kishiwada, 
Kennshi, and Kurashiki., 

This was the first and last attempt to stimulate foreign demand 
for yarn by means of a lottery. As it had not been successful (in 
fact, the exports of yarn for the whole of 1908 were only 167,842 
bales, as against 223,964 bales in 1907) and as the mills, though con¬ 
tinuing on short time, still had trouble in marketing their output, it 
was decided to try another system of promoting exports, in this case 
by giving premiums to the mills exporting. 

At a meeting on December 12, 1908, while the mills were still 
restricting output in accordance with their agreement, the following 
regulations were adopted to increase their exports: 

1. The monthly export of yam will be fixed at 10,200 bales. This will be appor¬ 
tioned to the mills on the basis of the amounts exported by them during the period 
from July 1 to October 31, 1908. If a mill exports in excess of the quantity apportioned 
to it, it can put in motion again as many spindles as are necessary to produce this 
excess quantity. 

2. The yarn produced in this way must be exported within one month. 

3. Detailed rules relative to regulations No. 1 and No. 2 will be arranged by the 
committee for fostering exports. 

4. When a spinning mill, without restarting machinery that has been stopped, 
exports yarn in excess of its apportionment, it shall be given a premium of 3 to 5 yen 
a bale. 

5. The contributions to cover these expenses shall be paid by the mills in propor¬ 
tion to their production of yarn No. 20 and lower. 

6. Any mill is at liberty to restart the machinery that has been stopped if it produces 
therewith yarn over No. 28. Regulation No. 2 does not apply in such case. 

7. These regulations come into force on January 1, 1909. 

The committee for fostering exports made up detailed rules in 
regard to the above export regulations, and these were confirmed in 
a general meeting on December 24, 1908, as follows: 

1. When, in accordance with regulations 1 and 6, a mill wishes to work spinning 
machinery that has been stopped, it shall forward, with its petition for using same, 
its name, the number of spinning machines, the number of spindleis per machine, the 
number of working days, and the yam coimts on which these machines are to work. 

2. When a spinning mill, in accordance with regulation 1, puts machinery in motion 
again, the amoimt of yarn to be produced thereby will be calculated on the basis of a 
spindle producing per day ^ 100 momme (0.8267 pound) of No. 20 warp yarn and 130 
momme (1.0747 pounds) of No. 16 weft yarn. These amounts, however, will be 
reduced by 10 momme (0.08267 pound) each during the months of July, August, and 
September. 


‘Working day includes day and night. 











































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


97 


3. Those spinning mills which, in accordance with regulation 1, have put into 
motion machinery that was at rest must export within one month the yarn so made; 
as far as the control is concerned the calculations stated in rule 2 will be taken as the 
basis. In addition they have to export the amount apportioned to them in regula¬ 
tion 1. In case it is impossible to export the yarn thus produced within one month, 
ten days’ grace will be allowed. If not exported by that time, it must be stored in a 
warehouse designated by the chairman of the committee for fostering exports. The 
storing, as well as the delivery of these yams, requires the permission of the chairman 
of the committee of the association. It is, however, absolutely required that these 
yarns be exported within one month from the date on which they were stored. 

4. When a spinning mill without using machinery that has been stopped in accord¬ 
ance with the agreement for limitation of production, exports in excess of its fixed 
proportion, or by using such machinery, exports in excess of the quantities used as a 
basis in rule 2, then such mill can ask permission to put in motion again as many 
machines as is warranted by the excess quantity exported. 

5. When a mill, according to regulation 1, restarts machinery that has been standing 
it must furnish the name of the shipper as well as the name of the ship on which the 
goods are exported, the date of sailing and the port of destination, to the committee 
on the 5th of the next month for all quantities exported. 

6. When a mill does not follow rules 3 and 5 or produces on the restarted machinery 
coarser yarn than is allowed by regulation 6, then, according to the agreement for limi¬ 
tation of production, it must pay a fine of 1 yen per spindle per day for the total 
number of spindles that it has restarted. 

7. The amount of the premium allowable under regulation 4 is hereby limited at 4 
yen a bale during the period from January 1 to April 30, 1909. 

8. This export premium will be given when the yarn exported during two months 
is over double the monthly apportionment and then only for the surplus. 

9. Spinning mills which export over 60 per cent of their yarn production will be 
entitled to the export premium, disregarding the quantity prescribed in regulation 
1 for that part exceeding 60 per cent. 

10. The quantity to be considered according to regulation 4 shall be that as shown 
by the Japanese customs report. 

11. On the basis of the report of the various customhouses three reports of the exports 
of yarn will be published each month. 

12. The export premiums will be paid on June 25 for the six months from December 1 
to May 31, and on December 25 for the six months from June 1 to November 30, respec¬ 
tively. However, should the limitation of production agreement be canceled on 
April 30, 1909, the period during which export premiums will be paid will be closed 
with the four months January to April and the division of premiums will take place 
on June 25. 

13. The contributions to be raised for the expenses in accordance with regulation 
5 will be payable semiannually on or before June 25 for the December to April period 
and on or before December 25 for the May to November period. If they are not 
received by the dates mentioned, the amount due will be deducted from the freight 
rebate credits due such mills on the transport of Indian cotton. If the limitation of 
production agreement be canceled on April 30,1909, the contributions for the expenses 
of the four months, January to April, must be paid on or before June 25. 


APPORTIONMENT OF EXPORTS. 


The share of the various mills in the 10,200 bales monthly yarn 
export that was taken as a standard was apportioned as follows: 


Mills. 


Kanegafuchi 

Settsu. 

Keimshi.... 
Kishiwada.. 
Fukushima. 
Kurashiki... 
Harima. 


Bales. 


Mills. 


Bales. 


Mills. 


Bales. 


2,006 

1,8.54 

1,289 

938i 

918 

7801 

520* 


Sanuki.. 
Handa.. 
Kibi.... 
Kasaoka 
Sakai... 
Osaka... 
Miye.... 


432 ^ 

425 

288 

175 

163i 

155 

113 


Osaka Godo. 

Tokyo. 

Watanabe. 

Shikama. 

Naigai Wata. 


llOi 

121 

12| 

4 


Total 


10,200 


✓ 


48895'’—14-7 










































98 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


It was decided further that for those mills which were entitled to 
export premiums, but which did not export one bale for the above- 
stated apportionment, as also for those mills whose exports per 
10,000 spindles did not amount to more than 50 bales, proportionate 
quantities should be fixed by the committee for fostering exports for 
the last two months, in accordance with the quantity exported 
during the fimt two months after these export-fostering regulations 
came into force. 

CHANGES IN REGULATIONS. 

At a general meeting on February 25, 1909, when it was decided 
to prolong the period of short-time operation, it was also decided 
to prolong the period of the export-premium arrangements, viz, 
from May 1 to October 31, 1909. Regulation 1 was changed to 
read: ^‘When a mill exports yarn in excess of the ])rescribed quan¬ 
tity, it is at liberty to })ut in motion again spinning machines in pro¬ 
portion to that excess.” The export-premium limit, with the power 
of the committee to fix the definite amount, as stated in regulation 4, 
was annulled, and the export premium given to mills exporting in 
excess of their apportionment was fixed at 3 yen a bale. A new 
regulation was added, viz, that for every bale of yarn No. 20 and lower 
exported a premium of 1.50 yen should be paid to the exporter. 
Regulation 5, relating to the contributions for covering the export- 
fostering arrangements, was changed to read that in the future 
contributions should be paid in accordance with the number of 
spmdles available for the production of yarn No. 20 and lower, after 
deducting those spindles not being worked, but not deducting those 
spindles set free under regulation 6. Further, regulation 4 had 
to be renewed every month. To regulation 1 it was added that 
when spinning mills again put in motion spindles that had been 
stopped, they could not ask for the stoppage of this machinery 
again until after two months. 

In the meeting of the committee for fostering exports, held on 
April 14, 1909, there was added to rule 2, relating to yarn calcula¬ 
tions, the condition that when mills started up machinery on night 
work again the production per spindle for a night should be cal¬ 
culated as 55 per cent of the basis stated for a spindle per day.^ 

A new table was compiled for the proportion to be exported by 
each mill monthly for the period from May 1 to October 31, 1909, as 
follows: 


Mills. 

Bales. 

Mills. 

Bales. 

Mills. 

Bales. 

Kanegafuchi. 

l,771t 

Osaka Godo. 

1751 

Handa. 

50 

Settsu... 

1,510 

Sakai. 

140i 

Shimomura. 

451 

Fukiishuna. 

804i 

Naigai Water. 

117^ 

Nippon Seifu. 

381 

Kurashiki. 

707 

Sanuki. 

1071 

Ozu'Hosoito. 

37 

Kishiwada. 

684 

Wakayama. 

751 

Takaoka. 

131 

Kennshi. 

652 

Shikama. 

74 

Watanabe. 

101 

Osaka . 

296i 

Ehime. 

721 


Miye. 

258 

Matsuyama. 

501 

Total. 

7,9851 

Tokyo. 

243 

Kosho. 

501 



> By day here and in rule 2 is meant the full working period of day and night work. 











































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


99 


NEW REGULATIONS ADOPTED IN 1909. 

Although the condition of the yarn market gradually improved and 
prices became firmer, the committee of the association decided on 
June 23, 1909, to take up again the question of promoting exports, as 
well as the limitation of production of coarse yarns of No. 20 and 
under, and requested permission of the vaiious mills. For the new 
limitation of production and for the promotion of the exports of yarns 
No. 20 and under the following was proposed: 

1. During a period of six months from November 1, 1909, to April 30, 1910, no mill 
belonging to the association shall work more than 80 per cent of spindles producing 
yarns of No. 20 and lower whose output is intended for the home trade. 

2. When a spinning mill produces yarns of No. 20 and lower by using spindles in 
excess of the 80 per cent, the quantity so produced must be exported within one month. 

3. When spinning mills who have hitherto exported yarn, produced by spindles in 
excess of the above-mentioned 80 per cent, produce coarse yarn, in addition to the 
quantity mentioned in article 2 they must export a further prescribed quantity, which 
will be fixed by a proportionate table. However, this export quantity will be reduced 
by one-half for mills with less than 10,000 spindles, and reduced by one-third for those 
w'ith less than 20,000 spindles, and reduced by one-fourth for those with less than 30,000 
spindles. 

4. For the export of yarn No. 20 and lower a premium of 1.50 yen per bale will be 
given to the exporter. 

5. Those mills which, without using spindles in excess of the 80 per cent, export in 
excess of the prescribed amounts of paragraph 3 will be given a premium of 2 yen per 
bale on the surplus. 

6. Every mill is at liberty to stop the night work for two months instead of stopping 
20 per cent of the spindles. 

7. klills which produce coarse yarn for weaving in their mills into coarse cloth and 
ply-yarn cloth are exempt from the above. However, such spindles as produce yarn 
for weaving cloth that is intended for the home trade are subject to the limitation. 

8. As far as the execution of these rules is concerned, and in regard to misunder¬ 
standings, the same rule applies as that passed at the meeting of February 25, 1909. 
The details of the arrangements for levying contributions will be the same as then 
passed. 

9. The spinning mills will mutually agree on a contract regulating the receiving of 
cotton in Bombay and its transport thence to Japan; negotiations with the steamship 
company will, however, remain in the hands of the committee for fostering exports. 

10. In case spinning mills object to these regulations they will nevertheless be put 
in force should the number of mills agreeing be in the majority. If the execution be 
inadvisable because of a large number objecting, the final vote will remain in the 
hands of the committee. 

A now tablo of the amounts of yarn to be apportioned each mill for 
export monthly was made up as follows: 


Mills. 

Bales. 

Mills. 

Bales. 

Mills. 

Bales. 


1.77U 

Osaka Godo. 

175i 

Kosho. 

50 


1,510 

Sakai. 

14(H 

Handa. 

50 

TT n Vn <2 1 m 

804 i 

Naigai Wata. 

1174 

Shimomura. 

45i 


707* 

Harima. 

115* 

Nippon Seifu. 

38^ 


684 

Sanuki. 

107 

Oz'uHosoito. 

37 


652 

W akay ama. 


Takaoka. 

13 


296^ 

Shikama. 

74 

Watanabe. 

lOi 


258* 

Ehime. 

72h 


iviiytj... 

243 

Matsuyama. 

50i 

Total. 

8,099 







CONFLICT OVER RULES ADOPTED IN 1909. 

To these resolutions there was immediate objection by the four 
mills in the Kwanto section around Tokyo (the Fuji Gas, Tokyo, 
Nisshin, and Shimozuke), as they had little interest in the exjwrt 














































100 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


trade and their annual yarn production of some 40,000 bales found a 
market in the sections of northeast Japan and around Tokyo. Only 
some 10,000 bales for this part of the country were supplied from 
mills of the Kwansai section around Osaka, but the latter had the 
lion’s share in the export trade. The Kwanto mills were also more 
interested in fine yarns. 

An interesting discussion took place in the papers between Toyoji 
Wada, president of the Fuji Gas mill, and Sanji Mu to, president of 
the Kanegafuchi, who was also chairman of the committee for fos¬ 
tering exports. Mr. Wada alleged that the geographical position of 
the Kwanto mills was not favorable for exports. He was also against 
giving the rebate on Indian cotton to promote exports, in which the 
mills of his section had little or ho direct interest. He also saw no 
advantage to be derived from the artificial restriction of output, for 
though prices might be increased such increase would lessen the 
purchasing power of the people, especially of the lower classes, 
nence lessen the demand. 

In reply Mr. Muto stated that, during the first half of 1909, the 
full monthly capacity of the mills was 65,000 bales of yarn and the 
monthly domestic demand 40,000 bales, leaving a surplus of 25,000 
bales. Twenty per cent of the full monthly output was 13,000 bales 
and the average monthly export was 19,276 bales. Therefore a limi¬ 
tation of the production by 20 per cent would cut down the surplus 
only about half, or less than 70 per cent of the export. He argued 
that there was little geographical difference between the two sections 
as to e:?mort advantages. Taking the new Fuji Gas mill in Oyama 
as the Kwanto mill most unfavorably situated as regards Yokohama, 
and comparing it with the Kanegafuchi mill in Hyogo as the Kwansai 
mill most favorably situated as regards Kobe, the transport cost to 
Yokohama from Oyama was 25 sen a bale and from Hyogo to Kobe 
13 sen, which made a difference of only 12 sen. The sea freight to 
Shanghai per bale of yarn was 90 sen from Yokohama and 80 sen 
from Kobe, a difference of only 10 sen. The total difference between 
mills in these two sections on the export of cotton yarn to Shanghai 
was, therefore, not over 22 sen (11 cents) per bale at the outside. In 
regard to limiting production, he stated that the English industry had 
always limited production in times of overproduction and that this 
had aided their growth; they had not developed, he maintained, with 
unrestricted competition. Short time had been worked during 1908 
not only in England but in Belgium, Germany, India, and all other 
countries. Further, the resolutions submitted reduced the restric¬ 
tion of output from 27^ per cent to 20 per cent. 

The Nippon Yusen Kaisha was embarrassed by the fight between 
the Kwanto and the larger Kwansai group of mills, as the former 
threatened to withdraw from the association and to start shipments 
by some competing line; it therefore tried to bring the two factions 
together. 

On October 12, 1909, an arrangement was agreed to by the two 
groups whereby article 9, which left the Indian cotton rebates in the 
hancls of the committee for fostering exports, would be canceled. 
The restriction of output was to continue until April 30, 1910, and 
then be canceled. The encouragement of exports was to continue, 
but with some changes. The condition that spindles started up in 
accordance with the conditions stated could not be stopped until 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


101 


after two months was changed to read after one month. Further, 
from November 1, 1909, any mill could change at its discretion from 
the production of medium counts to the production of coarse counts, 
and this change was no longer conditioned on two months’ notice 
being given. However, these spindles had to stop 20 per cent, or 
export the yarn, or produce medium counts. The committee for 
fostering exports was increased by the addition of Mr. Wada of the 
Fuji Gas and Mr. Tamura of the Tokyo. The regulations for meet¬ 
ing the export-promotion expenses, which according to article 8 were 
apportioned according to the number of spindles available for the 
production of yarns No. 20 and lower, less those that were stopped, 
were changed so that from November 1, 1909, there were included 
also the spindles that had been restarted for the production of yarn 
for export or of medium count yarns. 

The conflict between the Kwansai and Kwanto groups of mills was 
thus settled and all the mills agreed to the new limitation of pro¬ 
duction and promotion of exports to last for the period from Novem¬ 
ber 1, 1909, to April 30, 1910. 

LIMITATION OF PRODUCTION—PREMIUMS ON CLOTH EXPORTS. 

There being still no prospect of a resumption of full time during 
the next year, the association decided, at a meeting held December 
15, 1909, that when the export premium arrangements expired on 
April 30, 1910, they should be renewed for a period of one year. A 
bounty of 1.50 yen per bale was to be paid, after May 1, 1910, to those 
exporting yarns of No. 20 and under. Contributions for such ex¬ 
penses were to be levied in proportion to the number of spindles 
worked on coarse yarns. No. 20 and under, but yarns for weaving in 
the mill were excepted; provided that mills suspending for periods 
of over a month at a time should be released from contributing during 
the time of such suspension. 

At a general meeting held on September 9, 1910, it was decided to 
curtail the production of fine as well as of coarse yarns, and to offer 
premiums on the exports of cloth and of fine yarns as well as of coarse 
yarns. The following regulations were made: 

Resolution 1.—To curtail production of coarse yarns and to encourage the export of 
coarse-yarn cloth. 

1. All coarse-yarn companies must curtail their production, at their option, by one 
of two methods; (a) Suspend per cent of their total spindles, or (6) suspend all 
spindles four days and four nights per month, allowing two hours each day and night 
for meal time; or stop same two hours and in addition suspend operation of 12| per 
cent of their spindles: Provided, That a mill may stop working spindles instead of 
increasing the meal hours or increasing the holidays. 

2. Rule No. 1 will be canceled for any mill that continuously exports over 50 per 
cent of its production every month for a period of six months. 

3. A bounty, up to 1.25 yen per 300 kin, to be decided by the committee, shall be 
paid those mills exporting cloth made of yarns under 20s. Contributions to the ex¬ 
penses of this arrangement shall be borne by the companies in proportion to the num¬ 
ber of coarse-yarn spindles used by them. 

4. Enforcement of this decision and the regulation of details shall be left to the 

committee. 

5. In case of any objection to the details made by the committee for fostering ex¬ 
ports or disagreements as to its enforcement the chairman of the standing committee 
shall select a special committee from among the members and their decision shall be 
fi riB;l 

6. This resolution shall be effective for a period of six months, commencing October 
1, 1910. 


102 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


Resolution 2.—To curtail the 'production of fine yams of No. 21 and above, also of 
gassed yarns, and to encourage their export. 

1. All fine and gassed yarn companies must curtail their production, at their option, 
by one of two methods: (a) Suspend 20 per cent of their total spindles, or (6) suspend 
all spindles five days and five nights per month allowing two hours each day and 
night for meal time; or stop an equivalent number of hours: Provided, ih. 2 ^. a mill 
may stop working spindles instead of increasing the meal hours and holidays. 

2. A bounty of 2.50 yen per bale shall be paid to those mills exporting medium 
yarns, from No. 21 to No. 42, inclusive; and a bounty of 5 yen per bale to those mills 
exporting fine yarns, above No. 42, or gassed yarns. 

3. Contributions to the expenses of the above shall be borne by the mills according 
to their medium-yarn spindles on No. 21 to No. 42, inclusive,, and their fine-yarn 
spindles on counts over No. 42, and their gassed-yarn spindles, respectively, that are 
being used. 

4. The enforcement of this rule and the details necessary for its operation shall 
be decided by the committee. 

5. In case of objection to the details made by the committee for fostering exports, 
or disagreements as to its enforcement, the chairman of the standing committee shall 
select a special committee from among the members and their decision shall be final. 

6. This resolution shall be effective for a period of six months, commencing October 
1, 1910. 

CANCELLATION OF PREMIUM SYSTEM. 

These premium arrangements for promoting the exports of cloth 
made of coarse yarns, and the exports of medium, fine, and gassed 
yarns, also the previous arrangement for promoting the exports of 
coarse yarns, were renewed on their expiration in the spring of 1911, 
for a period of one year, as the mills at that time were still operating 
on short time. The arrangements were discontinued after March 31, 
1912, and from that time until the end of 1913 they have not been 
in force. The mills did not finally start on complete full time until 
November, 1912, but the export trade had so increased by the end 
of March, 1912, that special methods of promoting exports were no 
longer needed. That this method had been successful and acceptable 
to the mills is proved by their having consented to bear the^ expenses 
necessary for so long a time, from January 1, 1909, to March 31, 1912. 
In the lottery year (1908) the exports of yarn were only 167,842 bales, 
but in 1909 they increased to 258,878 bales, in 1910 to 347,633 bales, 
in 1911 to 285,009 bales, and in 1912 to 374,933 bales. General 
conditions for the export trade were the worst in 1908, and there 
would have been an improvement since then, even without these 
special measures, but it seems indisputable that the revival of the 
export trade was greatly aided by giving premiums and that this 
method was successful. 


SUMMARY. 

To summarize, the first method employed by the Japanese to in¬ 
crease their export trade was simply that of giving lower prices abroad 
than at home. Then, in 1902, was tried the system of giving pre¬ 
miums, to be paid every six months, to the export merchants on the 
export of coarse yarns and cloth. This was broken off in two weeks 
because the Chinese merchants in Japan refused to handle any 
Japanese yarn unless the export premium was paid in cash when the 
yarn was shipped. In 1908 the mills decided to stimulate exports 
by a lottery system; tickets were given with each purchase of coarse 
yarn and lottery drawings were held three times, at intervals, the 
cash value of the prizes at each drawing being equivalent to $50,000 
Mexican. After running 10 months, March 1 to December 31, 1908, 
this was also given up as ineffective. 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


103 


On January 1, 1909, there was started the system of promoting 
exports of coarse yarn by giving premiums to the exporting mills. 
In effect, all the mills contributed to lessen the cost to the exporting 
mills, the theory being that in a dull period any export of yarn, by 
relieving the oversupply at home, benefited all the mills, whether 
they exported or not, and in such case it was fair that mills not 
exporting should pay their proportion in aiding the mills that did 
ex])ort. This system was later extended to include the payment of 
premiums on all yarn exported of whatever Idnd and on the export 
of coarse cloth, and, further, smaller premiums were given to the 
export merchants as well as to the mills. 

Since March 31, 1912, no special methods have been used to pro¬ 
mote the export trade, as they have not been necessary, but it is very 
probable that a recurrence of dull times will see the mills renewing 
the system. No doubt, as in the past, this will prove an effective 
course. A study of the way in which Japanese mills have cooperated 
to promote their export trade is not only interesting but may not be 
without value in its suggestions to mills in other countries, especially 
when they are faced with a surplus on a dull home market. 

DISTRIBUTION OF EXPORTS. 

In a previous table there have been shown the exports of Japanese 
cotton yarn, by total weight and value, since 1890. In the following 
table are shown the actual and proportionate amounts taken by the 
principal countries to which these shipments were sent: 


Years. 

China. 

1 . . 

Korea. 

Hongkong. 

All others. 










Kin. 

Per cent. 

Kin. 

Per cent. 

Kin. 

Per cent. 

Kin. 

Per cent. 

ISQfl 

9 337 

100.0 







IRQI 

6 435 

19.9 

25,952 

80.1 





18Q9 

*671 

2.1 

32,083 

97.9 






265 117 

83.9 

26,962 

8,5 

23,914 

7.6 



1894. 

3, 270 ,560 

92.2 

231,733 

6.5 

35,700 

1.0 

875 

0.3 

1895. 

2,419,760 

68.4 

1,081,942 

30.5 

30,502 

.9 

689 

.2 

1896. 

11,442,087 

88.2 

1,202,353 

9.5 

272,800 

2.1 

57,473 

.4 

1897. 

30,274, 747 

72.0 

2,343, 743 

5.6 

9,338,935 

22.2 

77,550 

.2 

1898. 

49,948,140 

72.6 

3, 565,359 

5.1 

15,283,514 

22.2 

36, 750 

.1 

189Q 

83 654 113 

81.7 

6,475,596 

6.3 

12,221,834 

12.0 

9,289 


1900. 

45,069,460 

72.0 

6;i9i;742 

9.9 

10,699,839 

17.1 

658,619 

1.0 

1901. 

51, 852,767 

82.6 

3,736,028 

6.0 

6,505,810 

10.4 

657,190 

1.0 

1902. 

52,519,441 

88.6 

3,574,148 

6.3 

2,846,623 

4.6 

304,071 

.5 

1903. 

83, 782,212 

90.9 

2,683,451 

2.9 

5,322,515 

5.8 

372,630 

.4 

1904. 

64,547,879 

83.6 

5,352,070 

6.9 

6,824,894 

8.8 

467,610 

.7 

1905. 

69, 799,829 

87.0 

7,460,164 

9.3 

2,215,500 

2.8 

739,595 

.9 

1906. 

72,965,693 

91.0 

4,638,697 

5.8 

1,875,955 

2.3 

724,061 

.9 

• * 

1907. 

56, 730,028 

83.5 

7,521,902 

11.1 

2,348, 773 

3.5 

1,340,690 

1.9 

1908. 

40,280,058 

80.0 

6,542,133 

13.0 

1,953,280 

3.8 

1,577,594 

3.2 

1909. 

70, 830,626 

91.1 

4,417,629 

5.7 

1,016,630 

1.4 

1,398,511 

1.8 

1910. 

90,460,469 

89.4 

2,824,862 

2.8 

5,385,814 

5.3 

2,496,622 

2.5 

1011 

70 297 287 

89.4 



3,875,370 

4.9 

4,481,704 

5.7 

1019 

91 259 824 

86.0 



8; 727,227 

8.2 

6,182,407 

5.8 

101*^ /7. 

60 191 645 

87.3 



4,202,263 

6.1 

4,471,614 

6.6 











a Six months. 


Since 1910 Korea, under the name of Chosen, has been part of the 
Japanese Empire, and shipments thereto from Japan proper are not 
classed as exports. Statistics show that in 1911 there was shipped 
to Chosen from Japan proper 6,848,305 kin of cotton yam and 
6,310,295 kin in 1912, while the amount shipped thereto during the 
first half of 1913 was 2,046,104 kin. These amounts are included 
neither in the above table nor in the table on page 104. 






















































104 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


The exports of cotton yarn from Japan to Kwantung Province, in 
southern Manchuria, now leased to Japan, were not listed separately 
from those to China until 1907, in which year they were 530,467 kin. 
They amounted to 710,333 kin in 1908, 936,805 in 1909, 1,220,983 in 
1910, 3,000,073 in 1911, 4,777,722 in 1912, and 3,738,198 kin during 
the first half of 1913. These shipments are included in ‘‘All others’’ 
in the above table. These yarns are for consumption in Manchuria 
and the figures show that Japan is becoming a factor of increasing 
importance in the yarn trade of that section. The amount taken by 
the Philippine Islands in recent years has also increased. 

EXPORTS IN 1911 AND 1912. 


The exports of cotton yarn from Japan in 1911 and 1912 were, in 
American terms, as follows: 


Countries. 

1911 

1912 

Pounds. 

Value. 

A verage 
value per 
pound. 

Pounds. 

Value. 

Average 
value i)er 
I)ound. 

China. 

Hongkong. 

Kwantung Province. 

Philippine Islands. 

British India. 

AU others. 

TotaL. 

92,987,142 
5,126,223 
3,968,407 
1,220,681 
717,695 
21,481 

$17,640,437 
1,069,998 
712,301 
306,134 
291,371 
5,977 

Cents. 

18.95 
20.87 

17.95 
25.08 
40.60 
27.80 

120,715,757 
11,544,114 
6,319,827 
1,438,567 
392,294 
27,215 

$22,787,458 
2,264,872 
1,159,913 
348,928 
163,125 
8,716 

Cents. 
18.88 
19.61 
18.35 
24.25 
41.58 
32.02 

104,041,629 

20,026,218 

19.25 

140, 437,774 

26,733,012 

19.03 


Exports of cotton yarn from the mainland to Chosen, not mcluded 
m the above table, were 9,058,732 pounds, valued at $1,506,211, 
with an average value of 16.62 cents per pound, in 1911, and 8,347,069 
pounds, valued at $1,471,090, with an average value per pound of 
17.62 cents, in 1912. 

Coarse yarns are shipped to China, Kwantung Province, and 
Chosen, also to Hongkong, with somewhat finer yarns to the Philip¬ 
pines; the shipments to India are of fine yarns. The Japanese mills 
have been trying to obtain a footing for their finer yarns made of 
American and Egyptian cotton in India, where they come into com¬ 
petition with English rather than Indian yarns, but thus far the 
exports have been small, though favored by cheap freight the Japa¬ 
nese manufacturers have had some small success. 


TRADE WITH CHINA. 

In China the Japanese yams go in largest quantities to Shanghai, 
Tientsin, Tsingtau, Dairen (Dalny), Chefoo, Newchwang, and Han¬ 
kow. The main market for Japanese cotton yarns is Shanghai, and 
here they meet strong competition with Bombay yarns from India. 
The Japanese yarns are made with a mixture of American cotton, 
hence they are superior in quality and in whiteness to the Indian 
yarns, which |re made with all-Indian cotton. Though this makes 
them higher in price it has stimulated the demand until the Japanese 





























COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


105 


yarns have increased to a point that seriously threatens the lead 
formerly held by Indian yarns. According to figures published by 
the Japan Cotton Spinners’ Association, the imports of Japanese and 
Indian yarn into Shanghai have been as follows: 


Years. 

Japanese. 

Indian. 

Years. 

Japanese. 

Indian. 

1902. 

Bales. 
190,095 
502, .561 
451,184 
39G, 521 
376,180 
324,086 

Bales. 

1,179,722 
1,146,060 
884,480 
1,037,042 
1,109,474 
1,094,637 

1908 . 

Bales. 
202,279 
425,497 
566), 557 
422,516 
452,150 
303,070 

Bales. 

730,671 

1,023,-598 

860,557 

536,580 

620,524 

310,904 

1903. 

1909 . 

1904. 

1910... 

1905. 

1911 . 

1906. 

1912. 

1907. 

1913 a . 




a Six months. 


COMPETITION OF CHINESE MILLS—PROPOSED TARIFF CHANGES. 

The first cost of a mill in India is less than in Japan and supplies 
are usually somewhat cheaper in the former country, but Indian 
yarn pays more freight because of the longer haul. Indian yarn is 
spun as well as the Japanese or better, but the color and quality are 
not so good. Japanese yarns have to bring a better price than the 
Indian to compete, but they do this on account of the material being 
higher in grade. Japan is getting a proportionately larger share 
of the yarn trade in China, but the total demand there is declining. 
This, while due partly to the recent disturbances, is in perhaps greater 
measure due to the competition of cotton yarn spun in Chinese mills. 
The Chinese have been able to sell yarn at least 10 yen per bale 
cheaper than the Japanese, but the material used has been the 
inferior Chinese cotton. However, the Chinese mills are now import¬ 
ing some Indian and a trifle of American cotton, besides improving 
their own cotton by importing American seed. They are beginning 
to make 20s, 20/2, 20/3, and also 32/2 and a small amount of 42/2, 
and are starting severer competition with Indian and Japanese yarns. 
The Chinese tariff, since October 31, 1902, has been 0.950 haikwan 
tael per picul (133J pounds), but in addition yarn had to pay transit 
and likin taxes. The Chinese yarns, while subject to a revenue tax 
and having to pay the likin tax, escaped the customs duty and this 
gave them some advantage over foreign yarns. Now that it is pro¬ 
posed to raise the customs tariff the Japanese mills are much exercised 
over the effect this will have, in connection with the increased 
competition of the Chinese mills, on their exports to China. 

In 1911 Japanese yarn exports to China decreased by reason of the 
Chinese rebellion and the famine in the Yangtze Valley, but in 1912 
there was a more active trade, due to the satisfactory crops in the 
Yangtze Valley, the development of means of communication to the 
interior, and the increase in demand after the Chinese revolution. 
During 1913 the demand became still stronger. As cotton yarn is, 
after raw silk, the chief export from Japan, and as the principal mar¬ 
ket is found in China, the whole Japanese nation is interested in any¬ 
thing that will tend to retard this trade. Already miU men are 
urging the Government to oppose any increase of duties by the 
Clunese Government. 































106 


COTTOl^ GOODS iisr JAPAI^* 


TOTAL CHINESE YARN IMPORTS. 

According to a United States consular report from Shanghai, the 
total imports of cotton yarn into China in 1911 and 1912 were as 
follows: 


Yarns. 

1911 

1912 

Pounds. 

Value. 

Pounds. 

Value. 

Indian. 

141,101,733 

$18,851,228 
12,533,232 
258,572 

172,743,733 
126,640,133 

$25,570,515 
16,986,073 
332,267 

Japanese. 

102; 312; 666 
1,029,200 

English. 

1; 462; 000 

Hongkong. 

' 492; 000 

55,487 

1; 828; 400 

286,711 

•Ml others. 

3,081;200 

629;316 

3; 789; 600 

758,033 



Total. 

248,016,799 

32,327,835 

306,463,866 

43,933,599 



The cotton-yarn market of China is worth striving for. It is still 
the largest market in the world for cotton yarn, being followed by 
Germany, the Netherlands, and India, which, however, require 
mainly line counts, while China requires coarse counts such as are 
produced by India and Japan. The United Kingdom is the greatest 
cotton-yarn exporter of the world, and is followed by India and 
Japan; all other countries have only a small export trade in this article. 

As regards the Chinese competition, Mr. Y. Baba, in a paper pub¬ 
lished by the association on the proposed tariff increase in China, 
stated that the Chinese yarn production had increased from 300,000 
bales in 1906 to 400,000 bales in 1912. 

EXPORTS FROM VARIOUS MILLS. 

The largest exports of cotton yarn from Japan were made during 
1912. According to figures compiled by the Japan Cotton Spinners’ 
Association, the exports were furnished by the various mills, as fol¬ 
lows: 



Mills. 

Under 

163. 

16s. 

20s. 

21s to 
42s. 

42s. 

50s to 
80s. 

Above 

80s. 

Total. 

Fukushima. 

Bales. 

m 

1,441 

11,626 

Bales. 
59,757i 
61,235 
39,559 

Bales. 
14,776 
2,407 
8,558J 
48,4191 
2,2611 
l,216j 
1,664 
9,787J 
3,311 
3,838^ 
1,343J 
2,0161 
218i 

1,508 

31 

l,054i 

5 

9 

548 

521 

386 

457 

12J 

55I 

Bales. 

Bales. 

Bales. 

Bales. 

Bales. 
74,571 
69,220J 
59,743§ 
48,4191 
30,797 
17,845^ 
15,847i 
11,625 

7,494 
6,8101 
4,871 
4,429| 
4,2591 
4,1321 
3.2491 
3,147' 
1,8931 
674j 
6351 
521 
509J 
457 
380§ 
lOOi 
50 
49 
32J 
484 

Kanegafuchi. 

2,145 

1,992J 



Settsu. 



Kishiwada. 





Osaka Godo. 

3651 

595 

2,339 

919 

125 

16,0631 
16,034' 
10,967 
795 
4,0.30i 
2,957 
988J 
68§ 
182 
30i 

9,126 

2,980§ 



Kurashiki. 



Miye. 

6621 

118| 

25 

217i 

5 



Wakayama. 



Sakai. 



Naigai Wata. 

15 

6461 

778' 

1,5711 

1,332' 

650^ 

704 



Osaka. 

1,8461 

36 

41 

5 

46 

1,372 

2,119 

1,257 

1121 

885 



Nisshin. 

104 

201 

57 

107 

Fuji Gas. 

Ozu Hosoito. 

Nippon. 

2,023 

158J 

432J 

64 

Tokyo. 

263 

18 

l,888i 

Handa. 

Amagasaki. 

35 

148 

457i 

25 

— 

Shikama. 

87J 

Sanuki. 






Meiji. 



123§ 




Takaoka. 






Ehime. 


13 

355 

45 




Sanyo. 





Nippon Seifu. 


50 




Ko'sho. 


49 

221 

33i 





Matsuyama. 


10 

75 





Not named. 

7 

219 

84 

28 

35 

Total... 

19,681^ 

214,810 

104,5081 

18, 714 

11,4341 

2,356i 

6951 

0 374,932 



a Includes 2,686J bales of unspecified yarns. 



































































































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


107 


The yarn exports in 1912 were proportioned as follows: Under 
16s, 5.25 per cent; 16s, 57.29 per cent; 20s, 27.88 per cent; 21s to 42s, 
5 per cent; 42s, 3.05 per cent; 50s to 80s, 0.63 per cent; above 80s, 
0.18 per cent; unspecified, 0.72 per cent. Thus, some 85 per cent of 
the total consisted of 16s and 20s, the first named being mostly weft 
and the latter mostly warp. Only about 1 per cent of the total were 
counts above 50s. 

As previously noted the fine counts are sent mostly to India, with 
smaller amounts to the Philippines, Hongkong, the Straits Settle¬ 
ments, etc. China in general, and especially Manchuria, requires 
coarse counts. A considerable proportion of the counts from 21s to 
42s consists of 32s ply yarns, mostly 2 and 3 ply. A considerable 
amount of the 42s seems to be taken by the Philippines. 

The export yarn trade is mainly from the FuKushima, Kanega- 
fuchi, Settsu, Kishiwada, Osaka Godo, Kurashiki, Miye, and Waka¬ 
yama, these eight mills usually supplying about seven-eighths of the 
total. 


MILL PRODUCTION AND EXPORTS. 

There remains to be seen what proportion of the yarn produced 
was exported. In the following table, compiled from the records of 
the Japan Cotton Spinners’ Association, are shown the number of 
spindles and looms in the various mills at the end of 1912, the total 
amount of yarn produced (whether for weaving or for.sale) in bales 
of 400 pounds, and the number of bales exported by each mill: 


Companies. 

Spindles. 

Looms. 

Production. 

Exports. 

Kanegafuchi . 

378,764 
273,484 
156,552 
140,156 

4,139 

Bales. 
279,363J 
202,860 

Bales. 
69,220J 
15,847^ 
59,7431 
30,797 
4,871 

Miyfl . 

5; 312 

Settsu. 


154,000 

Osaka Godo.. 

400 

98; 293 

Osaka. 

134,340 
192,528 
80,980 
96,840 
57,656 
51,504 

4,610 

91; 987 

Fuji Gas. 

'951 

82; 366 
77,4181 
46,961 
42,349 
37,410 
34,484i 
33,448 
23,641 
20,019J 
17,300J 
13,466i 
11,607 

4;259J 
74,571 

Fukushima. 

TCi.shiwafla . .. . 


48;419i 
17,845^ 
11,625 

Kurashiki. 


Wakayama. 

752 

Amagasaki. 

89', 776 
101,672 

1,231 

674* 

3,147 

Tokyo . 

884 

Naigai Wata ... 

28', 608 
67,320 
23,808 
120,412 

933 

6; 810^ 
4,429^ 
7,491| 
3,249* 

Ni.s.shin .. . 

Sakai . 

300 

Nippon . 


17; 664 


509i 

Tamma Orimono , . 

14; 080 

776 

11,190 

Fhimft . 

16,084 
19,332 
20,496 
10,368 
24,580 

10,8441 
10,477* 
8,6621 
7,330 
6,292^ 
6,195 

380i 

50 

Nippon Seifu . 

310 

07.n Hosoito . 


4,132i 
32^ 

Mat..<;iiyama . 


Tokyo Calino . 

600 

Takaoka .. . 

lo; 920 
10,728 
4,992 

457 

Sanuki . 


6,005i 

521 

TT an Ha ..... 


3;969' 
2,973J 
2,682 

l,893i 

635J 

.Shikama . 

8.312 

5.312 
6,912 


Ki-Yo . 

300 

Sanyo . 


2,413 

100^ 

0<3aka Orimono .... 

5,840 

400 

2,266J 

a . 

2,063j 

49 

A\^atanalap. ... 

2,720 
1,704 
2,304 


1,094 




406 


.... 


369i 

> 

TTnQTiapifiAH .. 


3,168 






Total .-. 

2,176, 748 

21,898 

1,352,209J 

374,932 



o Absorbed by larger company during second half of year; production stated is for first half of year. 














































































108 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


According to the association, the yarn exports during 1912 
amounted to 374,933 bales out of 1,352,209^ bales produced, or 27.65 
per cent. Two spinning companies, the Fukushima and the Kishi- 
wada, manufacture entirely for the export trade, while the others 
either depend more largely on domestic sales or use a large propor¬ 
tion on their own looms; part of the cloth thus made is exported. 

PRICES AND MARKETING METHODS. 


According to data published by the Japan Cotton Spinners’ Asso¬ 
ciation, the range of prices of some of the leading brands on the Shang¬ 
hai market has been as follows, in taels per bale: 


Mills. 

Chops. 

Count. 

1912 

1913 

First half. 

Second half. 

First half. 

Second half. 

Kanegafuchi. 

Do. 

Settsu. 

Kurashiki. 

Fukushima. 

Osaka Goclo. 

Sakai. 

Kishiwada. 

Wakayama. 

Saniiki. 

Blue Fish. 

Flower and Butterfly.... 

Standing Horse. 

Three Horses. 

Beauty in Boat. 

Two Deers. 

Yorokubu. 

Yebisu. 

Sun and Birds. 

16s 

16s 

16s 

16s 

16s 

16s 

16s 

20s 

20s 

20s 

Taels. 

131 -135 
129.J-131i 
129 -137 
118^37 
117^135i 
120 -133i 
116 -132^ 
114^1351 
116 -136 
104 -104 

Taels. 

112 -115J 
115 -116§ 
no -116J 
no -118 
no -118 

1071-115 

1071-118 

1071-116 
1111-1141 
104 -104 

Taels. 
1121-117 
1091-114 
112 -1161 
111 -1151 
1091-1151 
1091-114 
1081-113 
1101-1141 
109 -113 
105 -114 

Taels. 
1111-119 
109 -114 
1101-1171 
111 -1161 
112 -1161 
111 -1161 
1131-1171 
108 -1141 
1111-1181 





In rega^rd to the chops, Yebisu is the Japanese god of prosperity. 
Yorokubu means mutual enjoyment and is represented by a leave- 
taking in Japanese style. The Sanuki has no chop representation, 
but instead a trade-mark which looks like a Chinese character but 
which has no special meaning. 

PACKING METHODS—FREIGHT RATES. 

Cotton yarn exported from Japan is usually packed in burlap- 
covered bales containing 40 paper-covered bundles of 10 pounds eacti. 
This standard bale weighs 300 kin, or 400 pounds, but some yarn is 
shipped in small half-bales weighing 200 pounds. Some finer yarns 
are exported in cases, usually containing the regular 400 pounds. 

In the illustration of a yarn-baling room in the Kanegafuchi mill 
are shown paper-covered bundles ready for bundling and the baling 
press. In the foreground is a 20-bundle bale covered with rice straw 
for the home trade. At the left are two burlap-covered bales, each 
containing 40 bundles and weighing 400 pounds, ready for export. 

The Kobe office of the Nippon Yusen Kaisha stated that its ocean 
freight rates in December, 1913, were as follows: 


Kobe to— 

Large 

bale. 

Small 

bale. 

Per ton. 

Chemulpo. 

Yen. 

0.96 

1.26 

1.10 

2.00 

1.00 

.80 

0 4.00 

Yen. 

0.44 > 
.81 
.65 

1.10 
.55 
.45 
2.00 

Yen. 

Dalny. .*. 


Newchwang. 


Tientsin...”. 


Shanghai. 


Hongkong. 


Manila. .7. 


Singapore. 

4.00 

6.00 

8.00 

2.00 

Coloiribcf. 



Bombaj*^.... 



Calcutta. 





• 


ajf in cases, the charge is 6 yen. 































































special Agents Series—No. 8(), 



YARN-BALING ROOM IN KANEGAFUCHI MILL. 






























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COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


109 


The foregoing rates are subject to a rebate governed by the amount 
of business given the line, varying from 4 per cent for small firms up 
to 10 per cent for one or two of the largest. 

The rate of 2 yen per ton to Calcutta has been in force up to De¬ 
cember, 1913, and is due to the fight being made by the British Indian 
Steam Navigation Co. against the new line established from Japan to 
Calcutta in 1911 by the Nippon Yusen Kaisha. Each company has 
lowered its rates much below cost in order to freeze out the other. 


EXCHANGE BETWEEN CHINA AND JAPAN. 

China is on a silver basis, while Japan since 1897 has been on a 
gold basis. This has an important effect on the trade between the 
two countries. When the value of silver appreciates the exchange is 
said to be favorable and the trade is good, but when silver drops in 
value it creates an unfavorable exchange, as the Chinese have to pay 
more taels for the same value of Japanese goods, and, other things 
being equal, the trade is hampered by the purchasing power of the 
Chinese money being depreciated. In the following table is shown 
the number of taels that the Chinese have had to pay in Shanghai for 
100 yen worth of Japanese goods during the last 15 years: 


Years. 

Jan. 

Feb. 

Mar. 

Apr. 

May. 

June. 

July. 

Aug. 

Sept. 

Oct. 

Nov. 

Dec. 

Aver¬ 

age. 


Taels. 

Taels. 

Taels. 

Taels. 

Taels. 

Taels. 

Taels. 

Taels. 

Taels. 

Taels. 

Taels. 

Taels. 

Taels. 

1899.... 

75.55 

76.61 

76.81 

76.17 

75.44 

75.21 

75.37 

75.24 

75.93 

76.46 

74.38 

73.58 

75.52 

1900.... 

73.80 

74.28 

74.10 

74.01 

73. 94 

73.79 

72.13 

71.47 

70. 77 

69.35 

69.19 

68 .93 

72.15 

1901.... 

70.25 

72. 88 

72.89 

73.17 

73.69 

74.44 

76.80 

77.06 

76. 59 

76.91 

78.18 

79.96 

75.23 

1902.... 

79.55 

80. 78 

82.22 



86.50 

87.31 

87.59 

87.93 

89.12 

91.99 

93.01 

86.60 

1903.... 

94.16 

93. 74 

93. 58 

90.66 

85.90 

85.33 

85.69 

82.18 

79. 77 

78.69 

80.93 

83.90 

86.38 

1904.... 

78.00 

75. 36 

77.16 

82. 32 

80. 20 

79.90 

77.40 

78.68 

78. 40 

77.83 

76.25 

74.10 

77.89 

1905.... 

72.60 

74.99 

77.76 

78.33 

76.64 

76. 25 

75. 78 

74.86 

74.87 

73.87 

70.53 

70. 79 

74.77 

1906.... 

70.80 

70.51 

70.75 

70.44 

68 . 81 

69.20 

69.13 

67.20 

67. 72 

65.89 

63.95 

65.50 

68 .33 

1907.... 

66.06 

66.00 

67.64 

69.62 

68 . 39 

67. 71 

67.05 

66 . 47 

66.67 

70. 43 

73.82 

80.15 

69.17 

1908.... 

78.51 

78. 91 

80.15 

81.69 

85. 60 

83.96 

83.95 

85.38 

85.88 

86 . 26 

89.33 

91.28 

84.24 

1909.... 

86 .39 

86 . 77 

88.25 

86.91 

84.63 

85.21 

87. 42 

87.59 

87.11 

87. 43 

88.02 

85.35 

86.76 

1910.... 

84.83 

85. 82 

86 . 70 

84.56 

83.80 

83.86 

84. 46 

84.81 

83.63 

80. 58 

79.89 

81.44 

83. 70 

1911.... 

82.22 

84. 74 

84.29 

83.40 

84.49 

83.65 

84.47 

85.15 

84.79 

83.90 

82. 25 

81.94 

83. 77 

1912.... 

79.50 

75.98 

76.27 

75.69 

73.65 

73. 52 

74.56 

74. 76 

72.83 

70. 61 

71.18 

70. 55 

74.09 

1913.... 

70.61 

72.04 

76.62 

74.85 

73.55 

75.13 

75.82 

74.97 

74.37 

74.42 

75.79 

77.06 

74.60 






























TRADE IN THREAD AND WASTE. 

THREAD IMPORTS. 

The imports of cotton sewing thread into Japan up to 1901 are 
shown in the following table; values only are available prior to 1885: 


Years. 

Quantity. 

Value, a 

Years. 

Quantity. 

Value.» 

1868.. 

Kin. 

Yen. 

1885. 

Kin. 
11,477 
9,781 
32,233 
44,665 
67,900 
68,219 
99,362 
151,680 
146,958 
123,607 
371,635 
197,820 
275,637 
438,749 
305,644 
231,239 
212,510 

Yen. 
9,730 
7,755 
29,867 
50,106 
71,381 
59,660 
83,793 
120,751 
116,127 
111,204 
328,942 
172,682 
256,237 
358,771 
354,608 
333,032 
344,524 

1869. 


3,034 

8,515 

4,285 

3,731 

2,353 

2,928 

7,814 

13,287 

16,387 

25,014 

9,574 

7,756 

8,390 

12,529 

17,236 

12,529 

1886. 

1870... 


1887. 

1871. 


1888.. 

1872. 


1889. 

1873. 


1890. 

1874. 


1891. 

1875. 


1892. 

1876. 


1893. 

1877. 


1894. 

1878. 


1895. 

1879. 


1896. 

1880. 


1897. 

1881. 


1898. 

1882. 


1899. 

1883. 


1900. 

1884. 


1901. 





a For value of the yen prior to 1897, see p. 11. 


TREND OF IMPORTS SINCE 1902. 

In 1904 the customs classification was changed to specify whether 
the thread was on spools or in skeins, and this classification was car¬ 
ried back to the statistics for 1902. The imports of cotton sewing 
thread since 1902 have been as follows: 


Years. 

On wooden spools. 

All other. 

Total. 

Quantity. 

Value. 

Quantity. 

Value. 

Quantity. 

Value. 

1902 . 

1903 . 

1904.... 

1905 . 

1906 . 

1907 . 

1908 . 

1909 . 

1910 . 

1911 .'. 

1912 . 

Kin. 
204,002 
273,114 
432,576 
528,293 
334,213 
320,977 
319,467 
291,834 
281,948 
273,852 
231,905 

Yen. 

342,678 
300,067 
420,889 
528,350 
293,987 
332,593 
382,008 
348,623 
352,655 
338,680 
283,998 

Kin. 
15,929 
25,732 
54,475 
104,667 
20,570 
25,450 
37,497 
31,754 
50,300 
66,540 
57,036 

Yen. 

17,038 
25,289 
55,786 
100,353 
21,592 
29,357 
41,904 
30,468 
64,714 
87,622 
83,062 

Kin. 
219,931 
298,847 
487,051 
632,960 
354,783 
346,427 
356,964 
323,588 
332,248 
340,392 
288,941 

Yen. 

359,716 
325,356 
476,675 
628,703 
315,579 
361,950 
423,912 
379,091 
417,369 
426,302 
367,060 


110 

















































































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


Ill 


SOURCES OF SUPPLY. 

The imports of cotton thread into Japan have been the almost 
exclusive monopoly of the United Kingdom, as shown by the follow¬ 
ing table: 


Years. 

United Kingdom. 

Germany. 

All others. 

Total. 

Quantity. 

Value. 

Quantity. 

Value. 

Quantity. 

Value. 

Quantity. 

Value. 


Kin. 

Yen. 

Kin. 

Yen. 

Kin. 

Yen. 

Kin. 

Yen. 

1890. 

1895. 

66 ,945 
369,385 
230,083 

58,807 
326,034 
330,232 

1,228 

2,250 

114 

814 

2,908 

209 

46 

39 

68,219 
371,635 

59,660 
328,942 
333,032 

1900... 

1,038 

2,589 

231;239 

1905. 

630,284 

625,043 

1,168 

1,004 

1,508 

2,686 

632,960 

628,703 

1910. 

313,783 

392, 262 

18,407 

25,053 

50 

54 

332,248 

417,369 

1911. 

321,119 

397, .598 

19,081 

28,218 

192 

2,103 

340,392 

426,302 

1912. 

273,685 

343,830 

14,174 

21,133 

1,082 

2,103 

288,941 

367,060 


The record importation of thread was in 1905, at the time of the 
war with Russia, but imports have since shown a tendency to de¬ 
cline and in 1912 amounted to only 367,060 yen, or $182,796. 

THREAD EXPORTS. 


Japan still imports considerable thread from the United Kingdom, 
but most of this is now of the finer counts, as Japan has now a thread 
industry of its own. Most of the thread is produced by the Teikoku 
Sheishi Kaisha (Imperial Thread Manufacturing Co.), located near 
Osaka, which supplies the demand for coarse and medium counts. 
In addition there is a small export. The exports of cotton thread 
of Japanese manufacture were not recorded by the customs until 
1906, when they amounted to 277,526 kin, valued at 199,153 yen, ' 
The exports in 1907 were 179,755 kin, valued at 123,106 yen. The 
exports by countries since 1907 have been as follows: 


Years. 

China. 

Korea.® 

Asiatic Russia. 

Quantity. 

Value. 

Quantity. 

Value. 

Quantity. 

Value. 

1908. 

1910 . 

1911 .-.. 

1912 . 

Kin. 

93,942 

105,911 

91,747 

54,391 

90,677 

Yen. 
68,301 
79,762 
71,944 
46,806 
72,466 

Kin. 

30,472 

32.638 
13,150 
27,599 

32.639 

Yen. 
19,480 
20,380 
7,355 
16,659 
24,734 

Kin. 
4,132 
10,114 
781 
15,285 
19,922 

Yen. 

2,768 

5,965 

513 

10,849 

14,098 

Years. 

Kwantung. 

All others. 

Total. 

Quantity. 

Value. 

Quantity. 

Value. 

Quantity. 

Value. 

1908 . 

1909 . 

1910 .. 

1911 . 

1912 . 

Kin. 
14,031 
7,320 
19,485 
12,335 
19,524 

Yen. 
8,071 
4,850 
14,387 
8,797 
14,393 

Kin. 

959 
7,199 
9,894 
19,315 
30,780 

Yen. 

669 

4,831 

7,m 

17,259 

25,597 

Kin. 
143,536 
163,182 
135,055 
97,326 
160,903 

Yen. 

99,289 

115,788 

101,680 

79,711 

126,554 


a Not included in total exports after 1910. 


















































































112^ 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


The total imports of foreign thread into Japan in 1912 amounted 
to 382,193 pounds, valued at $182,796, giving an average value per 
pound of 47.83 cents; the total exports of Japanese thread amounted 
to 212,837 pounds, valued at $63,024, giving an average value per 
pound of 29.6 cents. This shows that the imports are mainly nne 
thread and the exports chiefly coarse thread. 

EXPORTS OF COTTON WADDING. 

The first year in which the Japanese customs show exports of cotton 
wadding was 1902, though it is probable that some was exported prior 
thereto and classed as reexported cotton. So far as recorded the 
exports of cotton wadding have been as follows: 


1902 

1903 

1904 

1905 

1906 

1907 

1908 

1909 

1910 

1911 

1912 


Korea.® 


Asiatic Russia. 


Kwantung Province.** 


Years. 


Quantity. 


Kin. 


Value. 


Yen. 


Quantity. 


Kin. 


Value. 


Yen. 


Quantity. 


Kin. 


Value. 


Yen. 


552,.500 
479,842 
879,569 
1,293,855 
959,815 
1,205,077 
1,4.56,434 
1..322,257 
■ 387,177 
2,015,967 
2,742,176 


225,307 
189,.306 
334,121 
521,731 
355,921 
428.254 
486,180 
418,179 
128,097 
633,937 
962,360 


97,267 
116,003 
1,750 
296,603 
267,037 
422,881 
440,154 
160,402 
266,2.30 
317,051 
296,133 


28,153 

35,112 

525 

93,463 

87,015 

143,317 

1.39,993 

47,369 

88,371 

113,869 

105,371 


138,407 

153,486 

152,600 

181,966 

291,590 

269,501 


42,234 

46,896 

46,180 

57,255 

95,658 

89,322 


Years. 


1902 

1903 

1904 

1905 

1906 

1907 

1908 

1909 

1910 

1911 

1912 


China. 

All others. 

Total. 

Quantity. 

Value. 

Quantity. 

Value. 

Quantity. 

Value. 

Kin. 
95,935 
32,841 
20.022 
39,379 
96,616 
48,777 
237,411 
273,088 
128,723 
200,716 
192,721 

Yen. 
27,631 
10,368 
5,705 
13,225 
3.3.938 
15.416 
76,822 
77,018 
33,047 
44,934 
47,586 

Kin. 
10,948 
3,301 
4,477 
6,151 
9,121 
13,741 
14,903 
25,651 
36,6.32 
34,534 
35,746 

Yen. 

1,726 

811 

1,312 

1,815 

2,371 

3,624 

3,669 

6,720 

9,700 

9,775 

10,465 

Kin. 
756.650 
631', 987 
905,818 
1,635,988 
1,332,589 
1,828,883 
2,302,388 
1.933,998 
i;000,728 
843,891 
794,101 

Yen. 
282,817 
235,597 
341,663 
630,234 
479,245 
6.32,845 
75.3..560 
595,466 
316.470 
264,136 
252,744 


o Not included in total exports after 1910. 
b Included in China prior to 1907. 


Among the “all othei-s’’ in 1912, the main country was Hawaii, 
which took 19,427 kin, valued at 5,251 yen, of cotton wadding. The 
total exports, exclusive of Korea, amounted in 1912 to 252,744 yen, 
or $125,867. 

TRADE IN COTTON WASTE. 


So far as recorded by the customs the imports and exports of soft 
and hard waste have been as follows: 































































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


113 


Years. 

Imports. 

Exports. 

Old cotton and waste 
cotton. 

Waste cotton yam. 

Waste cotton and 
waste cotton yarns. 

Quantity. 

Value. 

Quantity. 

Value. 

Quantity. 

Value. 

1883 . 

1884 . 

Kin. 

31,500 

101,475 

840 

Yen. 

726 

2,165 

92 

Kin. 

24,356 

15,039 

34,301 

3,656 

18,840 

Yen. 

2,430 

1,401 

3,182 

385 

1,550 

Kin. 

Yen. 

1885 . 

1886 . 



1887. 

82,080 
181,780 
651,782 
503,314 
417,225 
692,535 
1,160,548 
970,394 
1,906,530 
3,191,714 
4,880,918 
2,257,376 
2,146,102 
1,796,5% 
1,518,383 
715,132 
97,125 
294,957 
27,626 
57,798 

1,519 

3,651 

13,910 

12,332 

9,237 

14,605 

23.788 
22,038 
43,942 
99,076 

225,856 
120,282 
%,715 
108,610 
165,717 
61,691 

8,138 

18.789 
1,560 
5,691 



1888. 



1889... 

8.301 
1,400 
1,680 

375 

94,772 

4.302 
154,8% 

18,210 

63,992 

809 

130 

168 

66 

12.006 
'297 
23,842 
1,182 
8,591 



1890. 



1891. 



1892. 



1893 . 

1894 . 



1895. 



18%. 

1897 . 

1898 . 

291,655 
219,146 
550.740 
406,567 
716,349 
440,361 
660,924 
831,552 
329,5% 
517,927 
4,494,410 
2,220,698 
1,273,560 
3,464,063 
5,476,341 
3,976,155 
4,555,550 

20,008 
16,906 
54,807 
43,652 
82^655 
51,723 
86,016 
95, %8 
46,852 
73,336 
536,792 
281,711 
170,625 
333,848 
645,789 
507,073 
527,006 

1899. 



1900 . 

1901 . 

1902 . 

1903 . 

1904 . 

271,570 

187,418 

67,202 

423 

34,987 

19,053 

8,061 

78 

1905. 



1906. 



1907. 



1908. 





1909. 





1910. 





1911. 





1912. 











Japan is no longer a market for cotton waste, but exports a portion 
of that made in its mills. As shown on page 76, the Government 
records the waste production of the spinning mills in 1911 (the latest 
available statistics) as 8,084,915 kwan, or 66,837,992 pounds, of soft 
waste and 507,308 kwan, or 4,193,915 pounds, of hard waste—a total 
of 71,031,907 pounds. The exports in 1911 were 3,976,155 kin, or 
5,259,538 pounds, which were not specified as to kind. There are 
only a few small cotton-waste plants in Japan and these are located 
mainly around Nagoya, where their output is largely used as weft in 
the manufacture of cotton blankets, but a large portion of the soft 
waste is reworked into the coarser yarns in the mills, and part of the 
hard waste is used for machine wiping, etc. 

DISTKIBUTION OF EXPORTS. 

The exports of '‘waste cotton and waste cotton yarns,’’ or, in 
other words, soft and hard cotton waste, from Japan in 1912 were 
valued at 527,006 yen, or $262,449, and were distributed as follows: 


Countries. 

Quantity. 

Value. 

TTnitprl States .... 

Kin. 

1,032,625 

Yen. 

98,729 

'RAlcrinm . 

892,150 

99,576 

TTrkntrlrnTlfy _ _- . 

509,824 

76,479 

rj Ar m an v . 

483,822 

30,802 

TTnitArl ICinedom. 

388,^39 

59,415 

51,158 

Anstralia . . 

318,311 

TTvirQntnTify ProvinOft. 

269,917 

31,041 



Countries. 

Quantity. 

Value. 

• 

Kin. 

Yen. 

China. 

231,829 

29.240 

France. 

165,904 

13,159 

Philippines. 

139,107 

21,718 

Dutch India. 

65,3% 

8,554 

All others. 

58,422 

7,135 

Total. 

4,555,550 

527,006 


48895°—14-8 





































































































PRODUCTION AND EXPORTATION OF CLOTH 


GENERAL CONDITIONS. 

The Japanese Government takes a census of production every year 
and the Department of Finance reports as follows concerning the 
total number of looms and textile operatives in Japan and the total 
value of all goods woven: 


Years. 


Looms. 


Operatives. 

Total value 
of goods 
woven. 

Power. 

Hand. 

Total. 

Males. 

Females. 

Total. 

1902. 

17,898 

692,497 

710,395 

42,751 

730,213 

772,964 

Yen. 

151,187,473 

1903. 

24,836 

599,259 

624,095 

27,048 

611,310 

638,358 

138,286,873 

1904. 

15,636 

605,209 

620,845 

23,671 

598,052 
733,062 

621,723 

130,196,421 

1905. 

19,040 

715,769 

734,809 

36,429 

769,491 

153,233,992 

1906. 

20,657 

716,171 

736,828 

40,886 

751,605 

792,491 

210,355,661 

1907. 

29,156 

754,449 

783,605 

32,273 

726,232 

758,505 

228; 240,373 

1908.. 

37,630 

745,525 

783,155 

32,427 

725,852 

758,279 

230,135,568 

1909. 

51,185 

719,751 

770,936 

33,219 

752,919 

786,138 

233,305,457 

1910. 

68,593 

683,696 

752,289 

35,268 
41,531 

726,041 

761,309 

268, 733 ; 547 

1911. 

89,003 

638,412 

727,415 

707,350 

748,881 

293,424,985 


PRODUCTION OF VARIOUS WOVEN GOODS. 

The value, as shown above, of the woven goods produced in Japan 
was divided as follows: 


Years. 

Piece goods. 

Obiji 

(Japanese 

sashes). 

Cotton. 

Silk. 

Silk and cot¬ 
ton mixed. 

Hemp. 


Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

1902. 

55,371,104 

63,064,215 

11,384,076 

3,002,733 

13,857,212 

1903. 

50,652,138 

60,833,788 

9,244,481 

2,295,145 

10,375,543 

1904. 

51,277,017 

54,563,855 

7,575,927 

2,587,585 

6,528,164 

1905. 

70,956,964 

57,366,550 

12,923,464 

3,528,269 

6,021,335 

1906. 

85,839,085 

88,994,878 

17,820,048 

3,390,311 

7,680,457 

1907. 

102,975,020 

90,701,894 

20,329,200 

4,094,548 

8,249,408 

1908. 

100,654,814 

94,799,152 

21,632,156 

3,547,890 

8,345,914 

1909. 

100,071,087 

97,780,308 

23,229,270 

3,834,376 

5,987,909 

1910. 

121,539,690 

108,610,043 

24,829,652 

3,642,020 

8,789,061 

1911. 

139,745,299 

107,413,465 

30,025,115 

3,998,960 

8,578,493 


All 

others. 


Yen. 

4,508,133 

4,885,778 

7,663,873 

2,437,410 

6,630,882 

1,890,303 

1,155,642 

2,402,507 

1,323,081 

3,663,653 


In 1902 the value of the silk goods exceeded that of the cotton 
goods, but since 1905 cotton goods have held the leading place. 
This is due mainly to the ^eater development of power-loom weaving 
in cotton mills since the Russian War. The total output of woven 
.goods in Japan in 1911 was valued by the Government at 293,424,985 
yen, or $146,125,643; and of this total, piece goods amounted to 
281,182,839 yen, or $140,029,054. Of the obiji (Japanese sashes) 
made in 1911, 4,256,954 yen worth were silk, 4,043,124 yen silk and 
cotton mixed, and 278,415 yen ($138,651) cotton. The output of 
cotton piece goods was valued at 139,745,299 yen, or $69, 593,159. 
In 1911, therefore, the value of the cotton piece goods and cotton 

114 


























































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


115 


obiji amounted to 47.72 per cent of the total production of woven 
goods of all materials and kinds, while the value of the cotton piece 
goods amounted to 49.61 per cent of the total production of piece 
goods of all materials. 

TAXES COLL^ECTED ON TEXTILES. 

One reason that the Japanese Government makes this record of 
the output of woven goods by value is to levy the textiles consumption 
tax, which was established m 1905. This tax is levied at the rate of 
10 per cent of the value upon persons taking delivery, at the time of 
such delivery, of textiles from manufactories and from customhouse 
compounds, bonded warehouses, customs temporary depots, and 
other places where the storage of foreign goods is permitted by law. 
The amount that the Government has received from this tax is 
recorded as follows: 1905, 4,423,766 yen; 1906, 5,319,899 yen; 1907, 
5,037,515 yen; 1908, 19,114,902 yen; 1909, 19,316,736 yen; 1910, 
18,778,324 yen; 1911, 18,233,622 yen; 1912, 18,916,151 yen. This 
was one of the extraordinary taxes levied after the Russian War 
to meet the expenses of the Government. It is finally paid by the 
consumer, but it is felt so much by the trade in general that in 1913 
strong representations were made to the Government for its repeal, 
but with the present condition of national finances it is not probable 
that it will be repealed for some time. 

PRODUCTION OF DIFFERENT COTTON FABRICS. 


The cotton fabrics woven in Japan during 1911 are given in detail 
by tha Government as follows: 


Class. 

Rolls. 

Pieces. 

Yards. 

Total value. 

rnttnn goods... 

284,415 

64,419,546 

23,393,353 

2,975,066 

7,872,024 

9,921,642 

3,526,673 

0 2,715,117 
1,389,559 
333,657 

12,405,835 

Yen. 

40,588,325 

22,358,829 

15,954,214 

11,344,825 

10,124,016 

4,784,958 

2,578,554 

593,481 

569,071 

30,849,026 

TTnfaVn nt,hfir striDed ^oods. 

Pnttnn flannftl. 

129,112 


TTa.'inri __...___... 


'D-paH nnt.tnri floods _____... 



Pnf f nn pranft ... 



nPnwAlino’ __..................... 



\fn«:nnit,n nftt«s . 



...................... 



OtVior r^ippA p’ond.^ .. 



Total. 







139,745,299 
278,415 



432,949 


ft rand total... 






140,023,714 






a Dozens. 


Most of the goods produced are given in Japanese characters as 
‘^shiro momen,’’ which is literally ‘‘white cloth,” so the Japanese in 
their publications translated this as “bleached cotton goods.” As 
will be shown in connection with nankeen, however, this term white 
was formerly used in Japan to designate cloth that was not colored, 
dyed, or printed, hence the correct translation in this case would be 
unbleached and bleached cotton goods. 

Futako refers to striped goods, made with ply-yarn warps, such as 
are used in making the narrow-striped kimonas that are still worn 
by a majority of the Japanese instead of European clothing. Kasuri 









































116 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


cloth shows large irregular block patterns, usually white on a blue 
ground and is used in making clothes for school children. Hakama-ji 
is a rather stiff colored cloth that is used in making the Japanese 
skirts worn by the young men at the higher schools and colleges. 

LARGE OUTPUT FROM HAND LOOMS. 

The amoimt of cloth woven on hand looms is not shown by the 
Government; neither does it show separately the number of power 
looms and hand looms used for cotton only. At best the latter data 
can be only approximate, owing to the large amount of mixed goods 
woven and to the number of looms continually being changed from 
one material to another. 

At the end of 1911 the Japan Cotton Spinners’ Association reported 
20,431 power looms in the cotton mills. During the last six months 
of 1911 there was an average of 18,284 looms in operation producing 
an average of 50.34 yards per day, the day averaging for all the weav¬ 
ing mills (one or two of which ran at night) 14.28 hours. The yarn 
consumption by these looms amounted to 82,482,236 pounds. 
During 1911 they reported an output equivalent to 1,129,267 bales of 
400 pounds each of yarn, an import of 1,843 bales of yarn, and an 
export of 285,009 bales. No cotton yarn is spun in Japan outside 
the cotton mills (except a trifle in a cottage here and there), hence the 
total yarn available for use in Japan in 1911 amounted to 846,101 
bales, or, say, 338,440,400 pounds, of which the power looms absorbed 
only 82,432,236 pounds, or about a fourth. Part of the remainder 
was used in the knit-goods trade and in other ways, but the great 
bulk was used for weaving on the hand looms, which shows that the 
hand-loom must stiU be larger than the power-loom industry. From 
the fact that silk goods are necessarily more valuable than cotton and 
that cotton goods amount to about half of the total value of all goods 
woven in Japan, there must be over half the hand looms on cotton, 
or at least 350,000 out of the total in 1911 of 638,412. The power 
looms, of which at the end of 1911 there were only 20,431, work with 
a small amount of stoppage, while most of the hand looms are tended 
be housewives who have other duties. 

The production from the power looms is some 50 yards of* cloth a 
day, while the hand looms probably do not average over 4 yards (a 
full day’s production on the hand loom runs from 4 to 15 yards, 
according to the material, the weave, etc.). The hand looms work 
on narrow cloth, mostly about 1 shaku (14.913 inches) wide, while the 
power looms are mainly on cloth about 36 inches wide. There are, 
however, so many more hand looms than power looms that the total 
production from the former considerably exceeds that from the 
power looms, and the hand-loom product not only dominates the home 
market but a fair amount is exported. 

One reason that the hand loom survives is the fact that the money 
made by most of the hand-loom weavers is an addition to the regular 
family income, and so the home weavers are content to work for very 
little, not much over a fourth of the small wages received by the 
power-loom weaver; but if a farmer’s wife makes only 10 to 12 sen a 
day (say, 5 to 6 cents) it is a welcome addition to the family earnings. 
It takes a weaver to every hand loom, but even in the factories a weaver 
rarely runs over two power looms. There is some tendency for the 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


117 


number of hand looms to decrease (there were only 638,412 in 1911 
on all kinds of textiles as against 754,449 in 1907), but until the 
power-loom weaver becomes efficient enough to operate more looms, 
and until more looms are installed in the factories, there will con¬ 
tinue to be a large hand-loom industry. 


PROPORTION OF LOOMS TO SPINDLES. 


In Japan power spinning has been developed more rapidly than 
power weaving, and there are to-day not one-fifth as many looms as 
are needed to balance the spinning. On June 30, 1913, the Japan 
Cotton Spinners’ Association showed a total of 23,783 power looms, 
of which an average of 22,975 were working during the first half of 
1913. In this hah year they produced 204,655,996 yards of cloth 
and used 54,338,034 pounds of cotton yarn. Of 2,287,264 spindles 
on June 30, 1913, an average of 2,118,402 were in operation during 
the first half of 1913, and these produced 36,535,081 kwan 
(302,035,516 pounds) of yarn. The power looms therefore used only 
about 18 per cent of the output of the spinning frames. 

These figures are for a half year and they show that the output 
per spindle may now be taken as some 285 pounds a year, the spindles 
working night and day, while the looms, even if none ran at night, 
would require some 4,500 pounds of yarn each per year. Even 
allowing yarn enough for the knitting and other such industries, it 
would require to-day about a loom to every 20 spindles to balance 
the production. 

The total number of spindles and looms in the cotton mills of 
Japan and the number of spindles per loom on December 31 of each 
year have been as follows, according to the association figures: 


Years. 

Spindles. 

Looms. 

Spindles 
per loom. 

1888. 

116,276 

200 

581 

1889. 

215,190 

200 

1,076 

1890. 

277,895 

400 

695 

1891. 

353,980 

420 

843 

1892. 

385,314 

420 

917 

1893. 

381,781 

420 

909 

1894. 

530,174 

420 

1,262 

1895 . 

580,945 

583 

996 

1896. 

757,196 

1,789 

423 

1897. 

793,022 

2,105 

377 

1898. 

926,991 

2,511 

369 

1899. 

1,086,721 

2,869 

379 

1900. 

1,267,872 

3,010 

409 


Years. 

Spindles. 

Looms. 

Spindles 
per loom. 

1901. 

1,295,598 

3,289 

394 

1902. 

1,352,948 

4,887 

277 

1903. 

1,381,306 

5,083 

206 

1904. 

1,345,585 

5,085 

265 

1905. 

1,426,594 

8,140 

175 

1906. 

1,472,353 

9,601 

153 

1907. 

1,540,452 

9,462 

163 

1908. 

1,695,879 

11,146 

152 

1909. 

1,954,892 

13,813 

142 

1910. 

2,099,764 

17,702 

113 

1911. 

2,170,796 

20,431 

106 

1912. 

2,176,748 . 

21,896 

99 

19130. 

2,287,264 

23,783 

* 96 


a June 30. 


Though there are needed only 20 spindles to a loom to balance 
the production, at times there have been over 1,000 spindles to the 
loom. Since the Russian War, with the new outlet for cloth in 
Manchuria, weaving has increased more rapidly, and in 1913 there 
were only 96 spindles to the loom. It seems certain that in tiie 
future there will be a large proportionate development of the weaving 
side of the industry, and while this may cut down the yarn exports it 
wiU probably result in the exports of cloth surpassing those of yarn, 
and this change is bound to make itself felt, on the markets of the 
East at least, to a much greater extent than it is to-day. 












































118 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


HISTORY OF THE WEAVING INDUSTRY. 

Power-loom weaving in Japan is comparatively a new industry. 
Cotton spinning by machinery was started in 1866, but cotton weav¬ 
ing by machinery did not begin until 1888, when 200 looms were in¬ 
stalled, and even at the outbreak of the Chinese War in 1894 there 
were only 420 power looms. 

The first company to use power looms was the Onagigawa, which 
V as organized by some capitalists of Tokyo in 1887 and which com¬ 
menced work with 200 looms at Ozi, near Tokyo, in 1888. The 
C\'aka Weaving Co. placed 200 looms in operation in 1890, but after 
a few months, in October, 1890, the company was taken over by the 
Csaka Spinning Co. (Ltd.). Except for the addition of 20 looms, 
no more looms were started until the Chinese War, when a market 
was found for exports in Korea; shortly afterwards the Calico Manu¬ 
facturing Co. was instituted in Osaka, while spinning companies in 
Miye and Okayama prefectures also imported looms. The home 
market was then, as now, supplied largely by the product of the hand 
looms, and the development of power looms has been dependent 
chiefly on markets abroad. 


EXPORTS OF HAND-LOOM PRODUCTS. 

For many years before the introduction of the power loom there 
had been a small export trade. The exports of cotton cloth from 
1868 to 1890 are officially recorded as follows: 


Years. 

Value.® 


1868. 

Yen. 

6,450 

1876. 

1869. 

5,362 

3,786 

1877. 

1870. 

1878. 

1871. 

l',859 

1879. 

1872. 

l', 659 

1880. 

1873. 

S; 796 
6,542 

1881. 

1874. 

1882. 

1875. 

9^903 

1883. 



Value.® 

Years. 

Value.® 

Yen. 


Yen. 

10,629 

1884. 

104,943 

18,240 

1885. 

177,999 

18,819 

1886. 

231,499 

27,349 

1887. 

170,640 

33,044 

1888. 

153,594 

42,182 

1889. 

147,035 

38,148 

1890. 

173,843 

62,205 




a For value of the yen see p. 11. 


FIRST EXPORTS OF POWER-LOOM FABRICS. 

The year 1890, wLich marked the beginning of an export trade in 
co.tton yarn, is also thought to have been the first year in which any 
power-loom cloth was exported, although then, and for several years 
afterward, the great bulk of the exports were hand-woven goods. 
Until 1892 the export statistics listed only monpa, or cotton flannel, 
separately from other piece goods. The exports at that time were 
as follows: 


Articles. 

1885 

1890 

1891 

Pieces. 

Yen. 

Pieces. 

Yen. 

Pieces. 

Yen. 

Monpas (cotton flannels). 

392 

471.900 

1,185 

176,814 

1,478 
357,270 

3,175 
170,668 

14,136 
494,227 

22,584 
220,774 

Other piece goods. 

Total. 

472,352 

177,999 

358,748 

173,843 

508,363 

243,358 



































































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


119 


EXPORTS FROM 1892 TO 1895. 

In 1892 the classification was changed to show chijimi, or cotton 
crape, and tenuguiji, or Japanese toweling, as well as the monpa, 
separately from the “All others.” The value of the exports was then 
shown as follows: 


Years. 

Flannel. 

Crape. 

Towel¬ 

ing. 

All 

others. 

Total. 

1892. 

Yen. 
106,100 
281,151 
221,918 
400,520 

Yen. 

275,983 
586,970 
1,067,573 
585,909 

Yen. 

16,290 
12,485 
58,223 
53,780 

Yen. 

145,649 
228,937 
513,489 
1,275,731 

Yen. 

544,022 

1,109,543 

1,861,202 

2,315,940 

1893. 

1895. 

1896.:. 



Until 1895 the small exports of piece goods had found their main 
market in Hongkong, being favored by the steamship connections 
thereto. However, as they were almost entirely hand-woven goods 
of a coarse quality similar to those made by the Chinese, and as the 
Chinese merchants who controlled the trade from Japan to China and 
Korea required large profits, the amounts taken by the latter coun¬ 
tries were very small. During the Chinese War the Japanese took 
advantage of the situation to get into direct touch with the consumers 
in Korea, and by eliminating much of the intermediate expense were 
able to land goods at a price that insured a good trade. The few 
looms in the Japanese mills were also making somewhat better cloth 
than at first. By 1895 Korea had become the main market instead 
of Hongkong. 

DISTRIBUTION OF EXPORTS IN 1895. 


The exports to the various countries in 1895 were as follows: 


Articles. 

Korea. 

Hong¬ 

kong. 

China. 

United 

States. 

British 

India. 

Hawaii. 

All 

others. 

Total. 

Flannel. 

Crape. 

Toweling. 

All others. 

Total. 

Yen. 

7,511 

2,256 

476 

956,321 

Yen. 
222,586 
181,973 
49,100 
53,318 

Yen. 
140,276 
88,148 
1,479 
175,063 

Yen. 
280 
151,664 
57 

35,493 

Yen. 

12,980 
96,049 
2,472 
7,313 

Yen. 

1,800 

31,498 

104 

7,261 

Yen. 

15,087 

34,321 

Q9 

40,962 

Yen. 
400,520 
585,909 
53,780 
1,275,731 

966,564 

506,977 

404,966 

187,494 

118,814 

40,663 

90,462 

2,315,940 


Until 1895 the principal exports had been cotton crape and cotton 
flannel made on hand looms, but there was little demand for these 
in Korea, and with the opening of that market the chief export 
became the narrow plain-woven cloth which was largely made on the 
hand looms in Japan as well as in China, and which was bought and 
dyed for ordinary clothing uses. 

INCREASE IN VARIETY OF GOODS. 

The Japanese exports of this and other cloths had become so much 
larger by 1898 that a new official classification was made for the 
export statistics. This narrow cloth was called white cloth, which 
does not necessarily imply bleached (though niost of it was half 
bleached with the use of ashes and then grassing, in the Japanese 
style), and the term “white” was used rather to distinguish it from 
dyed or colored goods. The cloth was plain woven of coarse yarns 














































120 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


and quite similar to the ^‘nankeen” used in China. When the mills 
found they could market their products in Korea, at the time of the 
Chinese War, several new mills were projected and the number of 
looms increased from 420 in 1894 to 583 in 1895 and 1,789 looms in 
1896. In 1897 there was a further increase to 2,105, in 1898 to 2,511, 
in 1899 to 2,869, in 1900 to 3,010, and in 1901 to 3,289. As the looms 
increased they not only made the narrow white cloth, or nankeen, 
that was being produced on hand looms, but began also to imitate 
the wider grey sheeting that they found the Americans were selhng 
largely to China and Korea. They likewise imitated the T cloths 
sold in China and Korea by England and British India. They tried, 
to a smaller extent, to compete with the English on turkey reds and, 
as the production of gassed, or lisle, yarns gradually increased in 
Japan, they also started a small export of lighter goods made from 
such yarns. 

CLASSES OF GOODS EXPORTED IN 1900. 

The exports of cotton piece goods from Japan in 1900, according 
to the classification in force from 1898 to 1902, inclusive, were as 
follows: 


Articles. 

Quantity. 

Value. 

Articles. 

Quantity. 

Value. 

^Vhite cloth (nankeen), 

pieces..... 

Grey sheeting and shirting, 

yards. 

Flannel.pieces... 

T cloth.yards... 

P.rn'HP niPPAQ 

3,072,033 

15,934,020 
369, G59 
5, 752,266 
381,143 
196, 774 
338,726 

Yen. 

1,778,532 

1,770,411 
602,041 
477,914 
370,782 
190,161 
101,351 

Turkey reds.yards... 

All other tissues_pieces... 

Towels.dozens.. 

Blankets.kin. 

Handkerchiefs.dozens.. 

Total.. 

675,416 
392,933 
430,980 
457,700 
35,983 

Yen. 
54,663 
377,822 
356,322 
235,241 
19,274 

G assed-yarn tissues... do_ 

Japanese toweling_do_ 


6,334,514 


The principal exports in 1900 were, therefore, the narrow white cloth 
similar to nankeen, grey sheeting (there was very little made with the 
finer yarns that would entitle it to be called shirting), cotton flannel 
(not canton flannel, ready flannelette), T cloth, and cotton crape 
(most of this either striped goods or else hand-printed). The Japanese 
toweling (tenuguiji) is narrow and much of it is used in Japan for 
advertising, some being given away by firms with their names 
stamped on it. Most of that exported is indigo printed in various 
designs. The Turkey reds were mostly dyed shirtings and some 
cambrics. The 1900 exports were taken by the following countries: 


Articles. 

Korea. 

China. 

Hong¬ 

kong. 

Asiatic 

Russia. 

British 

India. 

Hawaii. 

All 

Others. 

Total. 


Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Nankeen. 

1,690,100 

39,241 

45,213 

73,320 

802 

2,296 

101 

779 

1,778,532 
1,770,411 
602,041 
477,914 
370,782 

Sheeting. 

1,445,133 

226,354 

127 

9,477 


16,000 

Flannel. 

T cloth. 

14,638 
269,943 

91,555 
158,771 

402,562 
48,640 

86,077 

2,699 

1,167 

3,343 
560 
33,738 

Crape. 

Gassed-yarn tis- 

3; 971 

61;308 

214; 178 

14,301 

21,241 

22,045 

sues. 

1,221 

179,741 

1,260 

5,768 

155 

1,316 

700 

190,161 

101,351 

54,663 

377,822 

356,322 

235,241 

19,274 

Toweling. 

Turkey reds. 

3,198 
29,406 
158,298 

7,469 
249 

83,200 

6,179 

475 

18,828 
23,853 

6,500 

279 

230 

1 

All other tissues... 

55,609 

60,592 

12,673 

59,732 

7,065 

Towels. 

26,092 

146,694 

80,378 

34,034 

64,363 

1,848 

2,913 

Blankets. 

28,875 

75,621 

4,683 

676 

120,800 
4,373 

4,513 


749 

5,635 

Handkerchiefs.... 

691 

6,748 

'815 

336 

Total. 

3,671,566 

1,049,360 

1,020,881 

309,438 

124,732 

86,824 

71,713 

6,334,514 





































































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


121 


RAPID INCREASE IN NUMBER OF LOOMS. 

In 1900, following the Boxer troubles in China, there was a business 
depression in Japan that lasted for two or three years. The exports 
of yarn dropped from 341,162 bales in 1899 to 208,333 bales in 1900, 
209,167 bales in 1901, and 197,481 bales in 1902. The exports of 
piece goods were not so much affected, and their sales abroad 
increased from 4,504,111 yen in 1899 to 6,334,514 yen in 1900, and, 
with only a slight drop to 6,254,713 yen in 1901, increased to 6,938,539 
yen in 1902. Many of the coarse-yarn mills found it difficult to make 
both ends meet on a dull home market and a declining foreign trade, 
and when they saw that weaving mills could sell cloth where they 
could not sell yarn and were making better profits, they began to 
consider the installation of looms. In 1901 there were 279 new looms 
added and 1,508 in 1902, bringing the total up to 4,887 by the end of 
1902. This resulted in an increase in the cloth exports from 6,938,539 
yen in 1902 to 8,270,550 yen in 1903. Most of the new looms were 
started on grey sheeting and T cloth and mills also began to imitate 
the American three-harness drill. From 1897 to 1901, inclusive, the 
cloth most largely exported from Japan was the narrow goods which 
were listed in the statistics as white cloth, but which were very similar 
to the Chinese nankeen; the first exports were hand-loom cloth and 
these were imitated by the power looms. In 1902, however, grey 
sheeting became the main article of export and has remained so. At 
that time the mills thought to establish a big trade in T cloths and the 
exports increased from 5,752,266 yards in 1900 to 9,978,597 yards in 
1901, 12,857,756 yards in 1902, and 13,151,558 yards in 1903. This, 
however, was the high-water mark of the T cloth exports. The 
Japanese could not make them so well as the English and when the 
Chinese found that the Japanese T cloths were not so good, the 
demand declined, and even with a slight resumption of tliis trade in 
1912 the exports then amounted to only 7,584,517 yards. In drills 
the Japanese have had more success. Starting with only 256,934 
yards in 1902 the exports increased steadily to 31,755,794 yards in 
1911, and drills are now, next to grey sheeting, the chief piece-goods 
export. Exports of twilled shirtings also started in 1902, with 
200,000 yards, and they increased by 1911 to 8,534,035 yards. 

STATUS OF WEAVING INDUSTRY IN 1903. 


In 1903 there were only nine cotton mills that contained looms. 
The Japan Cotton Spinners’ Association shows the status of the weav¬ 
ing mills during the first half of 1903 as follows: 


Companies. 

Looms 

used. 

Working 

days. 

Daily 

working 

hours. 

Cloth 

woven. 

Average 
per loom 
per day. 

Yarn 

consumed. 

Waste 

made. 

Odalra Ro'wki. 

1,200 

162 

21 

Yards. 

10,475,107 

Yards. 

63.5 

Pounds. 

2,892,891 

Pounds. 

50,522 

Miyf'.. 

1,162 

166 

17 

10,254,309 

53.1 

2,839,442 

53,258 

KaTifikin Sfiishoku. 

784 

153 

11 

4,917,223 

41.0 

1,423,376 

12,375 

T’pmma Orimnno. 

425 

157 

11 

1,998,394 

29.8 

625,839 

3,977 

Tfrinapfif^awa ... 

404 

153 

11 

2,144,837 

34.6 

394,406 

15,893 

MpTiTieni. 

303 

149 

11 

2,242,565 

49.6 

739,535 

26,240 

Nippon Boseki. 

253 

253 

12 

1,911,010 

46.5 

455,453 

8,105 

2,859 

Okayama Boseki. 

248 

156 

11 

1,994,184 

2,040,802 

51.3 

452,750 

Walfayama Shokiifii. 

213 

160 

12 

65.8 

596,536 

16,667 






Total. 

4,992 

157 

13 

37,978,431 

48.4 

10,420,228 

189,896 









































122 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


The number of operatives and their average wages during this 
first half of 1903 were as follows: 


Companies. 

Average daily operatives. 

Average daily 
wages. 

Males. 

Females. 

Total. 

Males. 

Females. 

Osaka Boseki. 

164 

734 

898 

Sen. 

38.8 

Sen. 

25.3 

Miye Boseki. 

173 

1,223 

491 

1,396 

39.3 

21.3 

Kanakin Seishoku. 

103 

594 

34.5 

26.6 

Temma Orimono. 

66 

425 

491 

33.7 

19.7 

Konagigawa Mempu. 

67 

373 

440 

38.3 

20.9 

Kyoto Menneru. 

14 

305 

319 

34.1 

26.3 

Nippon Boseki. 

23 

213 

236 

35.7 

24.5 

OkVyama Boseki. 

24 

219 

243 

35.2 

25.0 

Wakayama Shokufu. 

32 

229 

261 

32.5 

23.2 


Total. 

666 

4,212 

4,878 

36.9 

23.7 





The abbreviation K. K. in Japanese firm names (omitted in the 
foregoing tables) stands for kabusliild kaisha, or limited-liability 
company, and boseki for spinning, so that Osaka Boseki Kabushild 
Kaisha means Osaka Spinning Co. (Ltd.). Seishoku means weaving 
manufacture, orimono is stuff weaving, mempu is cloth manufacture, 
menneru is flannel, and shokufu is cloth weaving. The name of the 
company is usually taken from the locality, as Osaka, Miye, etc. 
“Kanakin,” however, means shirting. Nippon, or Nihon, as it is 
sometimes written, means Japan. 

In 1903 all the mills were plunging on T cloth. The Osaka made 
T cloth, sheeting, shirting, jeans, and nankeen; the Miye made T 
cloth and sheeting; the Kanakin, T cloth and sliirting; the Temma, 
T cloth, sheeting, shirting, twills, and drills; the Konagigawa, T 
cloth, sheeting, drills, calico, and flannel; the Kyoto, flannel and 
shirting; the Nippon, T cloth only; the Okayama, T cloth and sheet¬ 
ing; and the Wakayama, T cloth, flannel, and stuffs for clothing. 
The above tables refer to the weave sheds only, not including the 
spinning sections, and they show that 4,878 operatives were required 
for 4,992 looms (the average looms in operation, not the total looms 
in the mills), or nearly 1 operative to the loom. 

In the fall of 1902 the Japan Cotton Spinners’ Association had 
tried to stimulate the export of coarse yarns by paying the export 
merchants a bounty of 3 yen on each bale (400 pounds) of coarse 
cotton yarns exported. Cloth made of coarse yarns also shared in 
this scheme, with a bounty of 1.10 yen per 300 kin of cloth exported. 
The bounty was to be paid the export merchants at the end of each 
six months, but, as previously mentioned, this system of encouraging 
exports was abruptly terminated by the ill-advised demand of the 
Chinese export merchants in Japan that the bounty be paid in cash 
at the time of shipment. This arrangement, therefore, lasted only 
from the 15th to the 29th of September, 1902. 

EXPANSION or MILLS DUE TO RUSSIAN WAR. 

In 1903 only 196 looms were added, and as the nation was arming 
for war with Russia, of which the outcome at that time appeared 
very uncertain, no looms were ordered for the coming year. When 
the war was started by the Japanese in February, 19*04, the issue 





























COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN 


123 


was too uncertain to tempt the industry to expand, but during the 
second half of the year business became more confident. As tho 
weave mills by that time began to find themselves pushed to their 
capacity to supply the cloth required by the Army, large orders 
were sent to England for looms. Some of these were for additions 
to existing weave mills and some were for spinning mills which, 
because of the large profits made by the cloth nulls, decided to install 
weaving eq^uipment. Most of these looms arrived the following year, 
and 3,055 looms were added in 1905, bringing the total up to 8,140 
by the end of the year. The exports of cloth increased from 9,454,268 
yen in 1904 to 13,684,283 yen in 1905. 

LARGER EXPORTS IN 1905. 

The exports of cotton piece goods in 1905 in detail were as follows, 
according to the classification adopted by the customs in 1903, when 
the mills began to export drills, twilled shirtings, etc., thus necessi¬ 
tating the listing of more articles: 


Articles. 

Quantity. 

Value. 

Grey sheeting and shirting 
.yards.. 

32,950,209 

Yen. 

4,655,621 
2,203,990 

Imitation nankeen..pieces.. 

3,066,874 

T cloth.yards.. 

10,754,218 

1,104,782 

Flannel: 

Not over 29 inches 
wide.yards.. 

6,103,512 

589,142 

Over 29 inches wide, 
yards. 

1,551,912 

289,547 

Crape: 

Not over 20 inches 
wide.yards.. 

3,132,258 

198,765 

Over 20 inches wide, 
yards. 

3,309,417 

471,019 


Articles. 

Quantity. 

Value. 

Drills.yards.. 

Twilled shirting.do_ 

Gassed-yarn tissues.pi eces.. 

Japanese toweling, plain 
weave.pieces.. 

Turkey reds.yards.. 

All other tissues_pieces.. 

Towels, Turkish and hon¬ 
eycomb or huckaback, 
dozens. 

2,157,357 
2,165,514 
150,614 

263,574 
362,048 
973,955 

1,724,988 
953,109 
127,934 

Yen. 
282,759 
280,839 
223,872 

82,592 
29,793 
1,079,362 

1,608,087 

508,037 

76,»076 

Blankets.kin.. 

Handkerchiefs.dozens.. 

Total. 


13,684,283 




Grey sheeting was the chief export, with nankeen and T cloth 
following. The narrow cloth formerly listed as ‘‘white cloth” was 
recorded after 1904 as “imitation nankeen.” 

The exports of cotton piece goods in 1905 were distributed as 
follows: 


Articles. 

China. 

Korea. 

Hongkong. 

Asiatic 

Russia. 

British 

India. 

All 

others. 

Total. 


Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

.c^hfiptinf' . 

2,559,759 

2,033,824 

55,671 

6,323 


44 

4,655,621 

"Mnnkfiftn _ 

27^234 

2,174,000 

'588 

93 


2,075 

2,203,990 

T* f'lnt.h __ 

794 ; 720 

' 244,724 

65,338 



1,104,782 

Flannel: 





Not over 29 inches 








wide . 

26,882 

1,657 

553,462 

6,619 


522 

589,142 

Over 29 inches wide... 

105,712 

62,858 

64; 103 

56; 369 


505 

289,547 

Crape: 








Not over 20 inches 








wide. 

16,905 

18,582 

146,242 

86 

851 

16,099 

198,765 

Over 20 inches wide.. 

24,248 

7,291 

96,177 


44,127 

299,176 

471,019 

Drill"? _ 

280,484 

1,888 

342 



45 

282,759 


278' 281 

'772 


1,010 


776 

280,839 


67' 833 

148,589 

3,136 

392 

3,922 

223,872 

T^nwAlintr . 

9,575 

4,077 

61,602 

121 


7 ; 217 

82,592 

nrnrlr<ST7 taHq . 

'686 

17,164 

11,139 

516 


288 

29 ;793 

other tissues. 

414,673 

519,595 

29,343 

15,616 

487 

99,648 

1,079,363 

Towels. 

926,884 

77,476 

267,058 

47, 255 

113,272 

176,142 

1,608,087 

Blankets. 

348,639 

66,450 

3,604 

87,148 

113 

2,083 

508,037 

Handkerchiefs. 

56,363 

4,720 

85 

3,259 

126 

11,523 

76,076 

Total. 

5,938,878 

5,383,667 

1,357,890 

224,415 

159,368 

620,065 

13,684,2&3 










































































124 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


Included in the all others’’ was 134,258 yen worth to the United 
States, mostly crape over 20 inches wide; 93,089 yen to Australia, 
mostly towels; 78,222 yen to Hawaii; and 43,432 yen to the Philip¬ 
pines. China, Korea, and Hongkong together accounted for 92.66 
per cent of the total. 

EFFORTS TO CAPTURE MARKET IN MANCHURIA. 

The increased exports in 1905 were due partly to the needs of the 
Japanese armies in Manchuria and Korea. With Manchuria opened 
up to their trade the mills the next year decided to make every effort 
to capture that market. Of the nine weave sheds operating during 
the first half of 1906, the Osaka, Miye, Kanakin, Okayama, and 
Nippon wove cloth chiefly for export. To concentrate their efforts 
and to avoid competition as much as practicable, they formed a 
temporary union called the Cotton Cloth Export Association. They 
agreed that they would together ship 1,000 bales of cloth a month 
to Manchuria, and in order to win the market would sell it cheaper 
than the American sheeting and drill, whether or not they made a 
profit on the first year’s business. Each of the five mills was to 
stamp its cloth with the Cotton Cloth Export Association mark in 
addition to its regular chop, and they were to endeavor to make the 
cloth as uniform as possible, as to both material and weaving. Mitsui 
Bussan Kaisha agreed to exploit the cloth in Manchuria without 
charge for a period of one year. It already had agencies in Manchuria 
and established others so that by the end of the year it had agents at 
Dalny, Newchwang, Mukden, Tiehling, and Kwanchengtze and 
subagents at other points. The mills delivered the cloth to the 
Mitsui Bussan Kaisha in tTapan, which forwarded it to agencies in 
Manchuria. The freight rate on cloth in 1906 from Kobe to Dalny 
was only 3 yen ($1,494) per ton. The agencies of this firm, in addition 
to offering cloth at a lower price than the American, gave the larger 
Chinese merchants 2 per cent commission on sales and 30 days’ 
time in which to pay. 

COMPETITION WITH AMERICAN GOODS IN MANCHURIA. 

Up to this time American sheeting and drill, made of American 
cotton, well woven and pure sized, had enjoyed a large trade in 
Manchuria and there had been little competition, for even the English 
found that they could not touch the Americans in price without sizing 
to an extent that would render the goods unsalable in Manchuria. 
The weak point of the American trade, however, was that it depended 
entirely on the quality of the cloth to sell itself, for there was no for¬ 
eign merchant handling it nearer than Shanghai. The American 
goods were sold to Chinese wholesalers at Shanghai and they sold to 
agents of Chinese firms from Newchwang and interior points. The 
interior wholesalers of Manchuria had to buy from a middleman at 
Newchwang at a higher price or else keep an agent at Shanghai, and 
they usually had to pay cash in advance for the goods. The freight 
rate from Shanghai to Newchwang in 1906 varied between 4 and 6 
taels per ton, averaging about $3.79 United States currency. 

Merchants who handled American goods were out money in advance 
and had'to pay higher freight, while the Japanese cloth was delivered 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


125 


at their door and the larger dealers were given a commission and time 
in which to pay. The Japanese cloth was inferior in quality but 
much cheaper, and the greater convenience offered merchants as well 
as the larger profit to be made under the Mitsui arrangements were 
too much for their conservatism, and many dropped the American 
cloth for the Japanese. The samples of Japanese cloth that had been 
shown in the spring of 1906 were almost equal to the American, but 
the cloth delivered was found inferior, being made of a mixture of 
Indian, Chinese, and American cotton; moreover it was poorly 
woven and had many imperfections. This caused great dissatisfac¬ 
tion among the dealers, but the price was so much lower than for the 
American that they could not refuse to handle the Japanese goods. 

When the Japanese first began to push their sheeting, about May, 
1906, the American sheeting was selling at about 4.50 taels per piece, 
or 8.45 cents gold per yard. The Japanese started their sheeting at 
3.60 taels per piece, or 6.75 cents gold per yard. On account of the 
oversupply prices dropped during the year, but the Japanese had 
created such a demand for their goods that they were better able to 
maintain their price, and by the end of the year American sheeting 
was selling at about 3.70 taels per piece, or 7 cents gold per yard, while 
the Japanese had dropped to only 3.40 taels per piece, or 6.45 cents 
gold per yard. The difference had therefore narrowed from 1.7 cents 
per yard in May to only 0.55 cent at the close of the year. 

MANCHURIAN MARKET OVERSTOCKED. 

The effect of the Japanese policy was reflected immediately in their 
exports of piece goods. During the first half of 1906 the total exports 
were only 6,922,481 yen, but during the second half of the year they 
were 11,802,395 yen. The total cotton-goods exports for 1906 
reached 18,724,876 yen, of which China alone took 10,351,434 yen. 
During the year exports to China amounted to 19,703,804 yards 
(24,630 bales) of grey sheeting and 2,142,630 yards (10,713 bales) of 
drills; most of these two articles went to Manchuria. In addition 
there were exported 8,107,444 yards of T cloth, 2,144,540 yards of 
twilled shirting, and a considerable amount of other goods. 

Japanese competition and the great surplus of goods in the country 
caused a corresponding decline in the American sales. The Chinese 
customs show that the imports at Newchwang of American grey 
sheeting and shirting amounted to 1,071,559 pieces in 1903, 1,226,005 
pieces in 1904, 2,331,381 pieces (116,569 bales) in 1905, and only 
366,583 pieces (18,329 bales) in 1906. 

A two years’ supply of foreign cotton goods had been pushed into 
Manchuria in 1905 in the expectation that at the close of the war 
there would be a period of great prosperity. The Russians had left 
much money in the country, but the people had to cover their 
unroofed houses, replace their stock, plant new crops, and meet 
more urgent needs than for clothes. The cloth imported in 1905 
was therefore largely carried over into 1906 in the merchants’ ware¬ 
houses, and when the Japanese by special inducements succeeded 
in pushing in a large additional amount during 1906 the stock was 
more than could be handled. Demand fell off sharply in 1907, and 
while this affected the market for all cottons, it was felt by the 
American trade more than by the Japanese. There was a slight 


126 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


recovery in the American drill trade, which at Newchwang was 
recorded as 569,625 pieces in 1903, 442,291 pieces in 1904, 974,557 
pieces in 1905, 65,958 pieces in 1906, and 130,540 pieces in 1907, 
but American sheeting declined to only 262,050 pieces. While 
there would have been a decline at this time anyway because of the 
large stocks, the narrowing of the outlet for American goods was due 
mainly to the competition of the cheaper products from Japan. 

DECLINE IN TKADE IN 1907—LARGER EXPORTS TO KOREA. 

Japan likewise suffered from the overstocking of the market. 
Since the leasing of the Kwantung Province the customs at Dalny 
have been administered by the Japanese, and their figures record 
the imports for Kwantung separate from those for the rest of China. 
Taking Kwantung and China together, however, Japan shipped 
them 10,351,034 yen of cotton goods in 1906, but only 8,656,978 
yen in 1907. In 1906 the number of looms in Japanese cotton mills 
had risen to 9,601, but with the adverse markets abroad there was 
no increase in 1907; in fact, the statistics show a dechne to 9,462 
looms. 

To offset the dechne in the Manchurian demand the Japanese 
used similar sales methods in Korea and succeeded in pushing a 
large amount of cloth into that country, amounting to 6,508,703 
yen in 1907, as against 4,575,954 yen in 1906. They also shipped to 
Asiatic Russia cotton goods amounting to 1,098,642 yen, as against 
224,415 yen the preceding year. The increased sales to these points 
more than compensated for the drop in the Manchurian sales, and 
the total exports of cotton goods for 1907 were valued at 18,851,313 
yen, or shghtly more than in 1906. 

CONDITIONS IN 1908 AND 1909. 

From the middle of 1904 to the middle of 1907 the weaving mills, 
like the spinning mills, made large profits, owing, at first, to the great 
demand for goods for the armies, and, later, to the great increase 
in exports to Manchuria, but by the beginning of 1908 all Japan 
began to suffer from a reaction, and then came a sudden depreciation 
of silver in the Chinese market. This curtailed the export trade 
immediately. In 1906, for example, a Chinese merchant had to pay 
at Shanghai an average of 69.33 taels for 100 yen worth of Japanese 
goods and 69.17 taels in 1907, but during 1908 he had to pay an 
average of 84.24 taels, and his purchasing power was therefore much 
lower. 

During 1908 China and Kwantung, Korea, and Hongkong all 
decreased their takings of Japanese cotton goods, so that the year’s 
business came to only 16,169,065 yen. Despite this the number of 
looms increased from 9,462 to 11,146. The decline in exports of 
yam had been greater than in exports of cloth, and as a dull home 
market affected the spinning more than the weaving mills, many 
manufacturers decided to add looms. In February, 1908, conditions 
were such that the spinning mills had to start short time, and they 
continued this, with varying proportions of machinery stopped, 
until October 1, 1912. During tliis period the spinning mills made 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


127 


various efforts to stimulate their export trade, starting a lottery in 
1908 and a premium system in 1909, but the weave mills did not 
share in either of these. Weave mills making coarse-yarn cloth for 
export, however, were exempted, both looms and their supplying 
spindles, from the compulsory short time enforced on all spinning 
mills by the Japan Cotton Spinners’ Association, and this was one 
feature that induced many to add looms for the export trade. Even 
if the cloth was sold at a slight loss, this was preferable to the greater 
loss from having machinery standing idle with the fixed charges 
running on. 

In 1909 trade in China began to pick up again, and favored by 
this the niills, in spite of the continuing adverse exchange, were able 
to increase their cloth exports to 19,178,502 yen; in 1910, with some¬ 
what lower exchange, they amounted to 22,516,615 yen. During 
1910, however, the main factor was the internal disturbances in 
' China, which greatly interfered with the home weaving; moreover, 
the Chinese cotton crop was short and much more cloth was required 
from abroad. The Japanese looms increased to 13,813 during 1909 
and to 17,702 during 1910. 

CHARACTER OF EXPORTS IN 1910. 

The total exports of cotton piece goods from Japan during 1910 
were as foUows: 


Articles. 


Grey sheeting and shirting. 

Drills. 

Imitation nankeen: 

Not dyed. 

Dyed. 

Crape: 

Not over 20 inches wide. 

Over 20 inches wide. 

Flannel: 

Not over 29 inches wide. 

Over 29 inches wide. 

Twilled shirting . 

Striped tissues.. 

T cloth . 

Counterpanes. 

Japanese toweling, plain weaves. 

Duck. 

Gassed-yam tissues. 

Satin . 

Turkey red cambrics. 

Mosquito netting. 

Bed tissues. 

All other tissues. 

Towels, Turkish and honeycomb or huckaback 

Blankets. 

Handkerchiefs. 

Total. 


yards. 

.do... 


Quantity. 


54,598,810 
41,669,931 


Value. 


Yen. 

6,541,873 
5,083,185 


pieces. 

..do... 


3,473,606 
427,307 


2,502,937 

357,330 


yards. 

.do... 


949,754 
7,157,616 


84,610 

983,356 


..do.., 
..do... 
..do... 
pieces, 
.yards. 
..do... 
pieces, 
.yards, 
pieces, 
.yards. 
..do... 
pieces. 
..do... 
..do... 
dozen. 
...kin. 
dozen. 


8,723,203 
1,054,936 
6,117,132 
504,168 
4,659,769 
1,407,660 
540,078 
231,762 
37,229 
198,914 
385,683 
61,821 
7,525 
870,378 
2,016,293 
214,481 
41,009 


803,941 
154,690 
712,252 
701,170 
504,201 
288,975 
167,008 
85,959 
57,137 
54,437 
38,309 
35,580 
8,903 
1,296,682 
1,838,117 
123,874 
92,089 


22,516,615 


In 1910 the chief exports were grey sheetings, drills, nankems, 
towels, crape, flannel, twills, and stripes. In 1905 the principal 
exports had been grey sheetings, nankeens, and T cloths. The 
manufacture of T cloths declined because the mills were unable to 
equal the quahty of the Enghsh goods and because sheetings and 




































128 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


drills were found to pay bettor. By 1908 drills had become second 
only to sheetings in the export trade, displacing nankeens, and by 
1910 they were gaining on slieetings. 


PEINCIPAL PURCHASERS. 


The distribution of the exports in 1910 was as follows: 


Articles. 

China. 

Kwan- 

tung. 

Korea. 

Hong¬ 

kong. 

Philip¬ 

pines. 

All 

others. 

Total. 


Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Sheeting. 

3,310,736 

2,146,150 

1,010,523 

2,409 

11,448 

60,607 

6,541,873 

Drills. 

Nankeen: 

4,604,218 

416,573 

17,467 

35,134 

4,516 

5,277 

5,083,185 

Not dyed. 

634,887 

1,175, 742 

687,643 

608 

453 

3,604 

2,502,937 

Dyed. 

Crape: 

47,236 

228,553 

71,914 

456 

29 

9,142 

357,330 

Not over 20 inches wide 

6,673 

3,490 

18,573 

27,479 

13,365 

15,030 

84,610 

Over 20 inches wide... 
Flannel: 

37,572 

50,814 

20,894 

62,102 

214,974 

597,000 

983,356 

Notover 29 inches wide 

31,595 

5,615 

1,730 

538,197 

68,149 

158,655 

803,941 

Over 29 inches wide... 

51,617 

78,862 

16,065 

233 

5,909 

2,004 

154,690 

Twills. 

397,162 
82,676 

281,802 

543 


30,282 
394,087 

2,463 
47,675 

712,252 

Stripes. 

108,841 

63,466 

4,425 

70i; 170 

T cloth. 

283,913 

10,071 

186,689 

22,371 

18 

1,139 

504,201 

Counterpanes. 

192,011 

34,607 

3,633 

20,925 

10,662 

27,137 

288,975 

Toweling. 

13,699 

. 3,174 

4,481 

114,273 

127 

31,254 

167,008 

Duck. 

62,584 

5,332 

8,188 

8,678 

28 

1,149 

85,959 

Gassed-yam tissues. 

Satins. 

4,927 
23,630 
2,871 

10,101 
570 

13,118 
1,874 
15,109 

2,218 

441 

26,332 
28,363 
4,800 

57,137 
54,437 
38,309 
35,580 
8,903 

Turkey reds. 

5, 716 
16 

9,813 


Netting. 


35', 564 
4,001 




Bed tissues. 

1,899 

2,328 

293 

14 

368 

All other tissues. 

288,137 

411,578 

346,691 

16,141 

15,545 

218,590 

1,296,682 

Towels. 

540,592 

75, 403 

21,141 

410,054 

70,197 

720,730 

1,838,117 

Blankets. 

82,603 

11,752 

7,046 

880 

266 

21,327 

123,874 

Handkerchiefs. 

16,301 

7,330 

6,648 

230 

1,544 

60,036 

92,089 

Total... 

10, 717,539 

5,074,420 

2,563,001 

1,276,919 

842,054 

2,042,682 

22,516,615 


Included in the ^^all others” was 431,269 yen worth to British 
India, mostly towels and crape; 248,010 yen to Australia, mostly 
towels and crape; 140,202 yen to the United vStates, mostly crape 
and handkerchiefs; 171,037 yen to Hawaii; and 119,439 yen to 
Asiatic Kussia. 


BOUNTY ON CLOTH EXPORTS—RAPID GROWTH OF TRADE. 

The Japan Cotton Spinners’ Association had continued to pay a 
bounty to mills exporting coarse yarns. As all mills contributed 
toward meeting the expenses while only those exporting coarse 
yarns benefited directly by the system, the others demanded par¬ 
ticipation in the bounties. This was finally agreed to, and from 
October 1, 1910, the bounty system was extended to include all 
exports of yarn and also cotton cloth made of No. 20 yarns and 
under. This cloth bounty amounted to 1.25 yen (621 cents) per 
300 kin (400 pounds). It was continued from October 1, 1910, to 
March 31, 1912, and greatly stimulated the exports. 

Japanese official statistics show exports of cotton piece goods 
(including towels, handkerchiefs, and cotton blankets) valued at 
22,516,615 yen in 1910, 21,485,263 yen in 1911, and 28,146,710 yen 
in 1912. The apparent decline in 1911 is due to the fact that since 











































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


129 


1910, when Korea was annexed to Japan under the name of Chosen, 
exports to that country have not been included in the foreign trade. 
In 1906 the Japanese succeeded in pushing 6,508,703 yen worth of 
cloth into Korea, but thereafter, owing partly to an oversupply at 
first and later to the Japanese cloth not being satisfactory in quahty, 
Korea’s purchases steadily declined until they amounted to only 
2,563,001 yen in 1910. When the country came under the control 
of the Japanese, who thereafter enjoyed special advantages, the pur¬ 
chases by Korea suddenly increased, amounting to 9,114,940 yen in 
1911 and to 11,412,255'yen in 1912. If these amounts be included as 
exports (as they were before 1911), the exports of cloth from Japan 
were 22,516,615 yen in 1910, 30,600,203 yen in 1911, and 39,558,965 
yen in 1912. 

During 1911 the Japanese looms increased in number to 20,431 
and during 1912 to 21,896, while on June 30, 1913, they were given 
as 23,783. More are now being installed and others have been 
ordered. In 1911 the imports by China and Kwantung as weU as 
Chosen (Korea) increased, and the purchases by China proper would 
have been much larger but for the effects of the poor crops in the 
Yangtze Valley. The demand from all parts of China increased in 
1912, and this, combined with a good demand in practically all 
their other markets, enabled Japanese cloth exports to reach the 
new official record, not including Chosen, of 28,146,710 yen, or 
$14,017,062. 

EXPORTS IN 1912. 

The exports of cotton piece goods in 1912, by articles, were as 
follows: 


Articles. 


Grey sheeting and shirting. 

Twilled tissues. 

Imitation nankeen: 

Not dyed. 

Dyed.. 

Crape: 

Not over 20 inches wide. 

Over 20 inches wide. 

Flannel: 

Not over 29 inches wide. 

Over 29 inches wide. 

T cloth. 

Counterpanes. 

Striped tissues. 

White sheeting and shirting. 

Duck.-. 

Japanese toweling, plain weaves.. 

jotted tissues.. 

Turkey red cambrics. 

Gassed-yam tissues. 

Satins. 

Mosquito netting.— 

All other tissues. 

Towels, Turkish and honeycomb or huckaback 

Blankets. 

Handkerchiefs. 

Total. 


Quantity. 


Value. 


Yen. 


yards. 

.do... 


87,097,682 
42,097,779 


10,469,675 
5,370,619 


pieces. 

..do... 


6,192,671 
351,657 


4,096,987 
321,129 


.yards.. 

178,562 

18,541 


10,051,899 

1,423,255 


8,174,165 

778,299 

..do_ 

1,475,770 

220,927 

. .do_ 

7,584,517 

827,107 

dozen.. 

81,694 

496, 759 

pieces.. 

374, 449 

387,435 

.yards.. 

1,634,140 

213,080 


483,857 

191,207 

pieces.. 

442, 298 

158, 705 


79,180 

112,750 

.yards.. 

670,441 

68,582 

pieces.. 

21,400 

30,783 

.yards.. 

38,495 

11, 752 

pieces.. 

1,227 

989 


421,483 

562,814 

dozen.. 

2,310,655 

2,160,541 

...kin.. 

258,368 

171,764 

■dozen.. 

75,642 

53,010 


28,146,710 


48895°—14-9 



































130 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


With the greatly increased demand for sheeting from China, due 
to the interruption to the home supply from the hand looms and to the 
better market after the first revolution, the Japanese export trade in 
sheetings advanced greatly. Trade in drills and twilled shirtings was 
stationary, so that the gap between the two, which lessened in the few 
years before 1911, again widened. Twilled tissues are still, however, 
the main export after grey sheeting, and will probably increase 
greatly in the future, especially as inferior weaving is not so notice¬ 
able in twilled fabrics as in plain-woven goods, and despite great 
improvement in recent years Japanese goods remain inferior to those 
of their competitors. After sheeting and twilled tissues, the chief 
exports in 1912 were nankeens, towels, crape, flannel, and T cloth. 

japan’s pkincipal markets. 


The distribution of the exports in 1912 was as follows: 


Articles. 

China. 

Korea.o 

Kwan- 

tung. 

Hong¬ 

kong. 

British 

India. 

All others. 

Total. 


Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Sheeting. 

6,387,134 

6,771,558 

3,532,574 

14,544 

411,027 

124,396 

10,469,675 

Twills. 

4,078,890 

50,002 

1,158,235 

12,319 

96,445 

24,730 

5,370,619 

Nankeens: 








Not dyed. 

742,009 

1,873,268 

3,335,650 

5,258 

163 

13,907 

4,096,987 

Dyed. 

29,140 

304,410 

280,912 

387 

2 

10,688 

321,129 

Crape: 








Not over 20 inches 








wide. 

927 

17,238 

1,238 

7,134 

760 

8,482 

18,541 

Over 20 inches wide. 

36,028 

79,665 

32,671 

45,707 

76,901 

1,231,948 

1,423,255 

Flannel: 








Not over 29 inches 








wide. 

37,843 

2,060 

5,197 

536,040 

2,327 

196,892 

778,299 

Over 29 inches wide. 

132,755 

92,473 

73,962 

8,834 

21 

5,355 

220;927 

T cloth. 

594,768 

775,873 

131,282 

54,047 

23,318 

23,692 

827;107 

Counterpanes. 

296,791 

6,894 

64,500 

45,257 

40,347 

49,864 

496,759 

Stripes. 

36,273 

73,313 

100,272 

4,922 

15,536 

230,432 

387,435 

White shirting. 

17,023 

413,707 

140,311 

3,154 

49,611 

2,981 

213,080 

Duck. 

151,839 

34,231 

26,869 

11,710 


789 

191,207 

Toweling. 

20,370 

9; 999 

2^387 

75,992 

289 

59,667 

158, 705 

Spotted tissues. 

8,107 

97,430 

34,129 

805 

324 

69,385 

112,750 

Turkey reds. 

21,185 

44,205 

13,753 

29,743 

442 

3,459 

68,582 

Gassed-yarn tissues. 

4,229 

49,528 

12,942 

876 

515 

12,221 

30;783 

Satins. 

11,523 

3,605 

202 



27 

11 752 

Netting. 

226 

29; 211 

445 

210 


108 

*989 

All other tissues. 

no, 243 

463;438 

221,723 

16,244 

14,450 

200,154 

562,814 

Towels. 

585,491 

112,658 

142,219 

443,626 

409,955 

579,250 

2,160,541 

Blankets. 

106,091 

95,380 

32,785 

2,826 

576 

29; 486 

171,764 

Handkerchiefs.. 

5,745 

12,109 

9,621 

758 

147 

36,739 

53,010 

Total. 

13,414,630 

11,412,255 

9,353,879 

1,320,393 

1,143,156 

2,914,652 

28,146,710 


o In 1911 and 1912 exports to Korea (now called Chosen) were domestic commerce and arc not included 
in the export totals; the figures are given to show the contrast with previous years. 


Included in the ^^all others” were 644,453 yen worth to the Philip¬ 
pines, mainly crape, stripes, and towels; 530,239 yen to Australia 
(crape and towels); 420,393 yen to the Straits Settlements (towels, 
crape, and flannels); 234,463 yen to the United States (crape); 311,451 
yen to the Dutch East Indies (towels, flannel, and crape); 196,209 
yen to Hawaii (spotted and striped tissues); 165,203 yen to Asiatic 
Kussia (grey sheeting); 136,583 yen to Siam (towels, T cloth, and 
grey sheeting); and 75,778 yen ^to Great Britain (crape). Goods 
other than those named were shipped to the countries listed, but in 
comparatively small quantities. 













































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN 


131 


DEVELOPMENT OF FOREIGN TRADE. 

The following table shows where the Japanese have found their best 
markets for cotton piece goods, including blankets, towels, and hand¬ 
kerchiefs, and the rate of progress in each: 


Years. 

China. 

Korea.o 

1885. 

Yen. 

154,083 

Yen. 

20,508 

11,844 

1&%. 

216,465 

1887... 

150,994 

14,211 

1888. 

137,353 
12,062 
10,009 
33,306 
153,904 
337,694 
390,715 

11 '471 

1889. 

9 ; 005 
40,031 
70,499 
27,731 

1890. 

1891. 

1892. 

1893. 

18,813 

1894. 

238'373 
966,564 
884,779 

1895. 

404'96(? 
636,452 
692,298 
652,047 
1,259,057 
1,049,360 
1,337,762 
2,761,970 
3,950,428 
4,062,896 
5,938,878 
10,351,034 
5,852,384 

1896. 

1897. 

1 , 312 ’454 
1,262,900 
1,666,815 
3,671,566 
3,173,914 

1898. 

1899. 

1900. 

1901. 

1902. 

2 ' 720 ’ 740 
2,525,725 

1903. 

1904. 

3 ', 488; 647 
5,383,667 
4,575,954 

1905. 

1906. 

1907. 

6; 508; 703 
5,653,148 
4,619,108 

1908. 

5'124'314 

1909. 

7 ; 217 ; 564 
10,717,539 

1910. 

2, 563', 001 

1911. 

10,673,350 
13,414,630 

9 ; 114 ; 940 

1912. 

11 ; 412 ; 255 




Kwan- 

tung.b 


Hong- 

kong.c 


British Philip- 

India. pines. 


Yen. 


Yen. 


Yen. 


Yen. 


2,804,594 
2,139,022 
3,620,886 
5,074,420 
6,863,554 
9,353,879 


113,090 
101,878 
100,907 
256,432 
430,952 
620,491 
506,977 
582,668 
464,875 
739,837 
1,057,523 
1,020,881 
963,845 
1,122,264 
1,298,705 
1,115,540 
1,357,890 
1,720,650 
1,485,783 
627,803 
774,801 
1,276,919 
857,198 
1,320,393 


1,341 
2,550 
11,273 
58,040 
221,071 
400,644 
118,814 
142,661 
119,004 
100,979 
132,484 
124,732 
108,095 
6,636 
48,312 
208,752 
159,368 
156,229 
342,440 
326,942 
265,811 
431,269 
411,080 
1,143,156 


23 


298 


1,027 
592 
2,531 
2,438 
6,062 
240 
741 
3,366 
14,131 
26,680 
16,887 
13,975 
47,235 
43,432 
• 131,715 
449,791 
690,338 
939,898 
842,054 
852,544 
644,453 


Years. 

United 

States. 

Hawaii. 

Australia. 

Asiatic 

Russia. 

All others. 

Total. 

1885.:. 

Yen. 

1,040 

Yen. 

66 

Yen. 

125 

Yen. 

1,585 

1,327 

Yen. 

592 

Yen. 

177,999 

231,499 

1886. 

i;200 

80 

25 

558 

1887. 

'&31 

18 

1,403 

3,183 
2,657 
4,517 
9,225 

170,640 
153,594 

1888. 

1,101 

54 

10 

925 

1889. 

5 ; 248 
5,993 

188 

877 

707 

147,035 

1890. 

764 

112 

2,983 

173 ;843 

1891. 

13 ; 962 
29,783 

1,279 

350 

2 ; 448 

9,334 

6,252 

7,613 

24,222 

243 ; 358 

1892. 

5,792 

44,542 

446 

4 ; 615 
4,495 

544,022 

1893. 

42,147 

1,624 

1, 109 ;543 
1,861,202 

1894. 

118; 996 
187,494 
39,365 
22,051 

51,277 
40,663 
38,052 
29,668 
45,584 

6,191 

7 ; 762 

1895. 

11 ; 263 

29,700 

47,061 
78,759 
59,471 

2,315,940 
2,555,211 

1896. 

11,315 

135,098 
124,934 
220,672 
263,219 
309,438 

1897___ 

25 ; 588 
6,990 
4,429 

2,850,583 

1898_ 

• 

21,873 

16,615 
23,181 

3,068,238 

1899. 

18,230 
20,723 
24,874 
37,700 

75,807 
86,824 
121,835 
93,244 
81,391 

4 ; 504 ; 111 

6,334,514 

1900. 

6,867 
11,440 

29,992 

1901. 

51,201 
7,307 
12,174 

435,067 

158,341 

6,254,713 

6,938,539 

8,270,550 

1902.. 

13 ; 450 

1903. 

64; 240 

26; 716 
118,336 
93,089 
133,987 

248; 884 
224,722 

1904. 

103,182 

83,426 
78,222 
102,919 

1,532 

9,454,268 

1905. 

134 ; 258 
84,928 

224,415 

271,064 

13,684,283 

1906. 

1,098,642 
555,807 
75T, 542 

368; 818 

18,724,876 

1907. 

130; 764 
83,152 

104,257 

28,577 
127,042 

588;213 
542,355 

18;85i;313 
16,169,065 
19,178,502 
22,516,615 

1908. 

97 ; 407 

1909. 

112,216 

134,543 
171,037 
184,713 
196,209 

213 ; 170 

466,268 

814;237 

1910. 

140,202 
166,826 
234,463 

248,010 

119,439 

932,725 

1911. 

303 ;220 

193,466 

979,312 

21 ; 485; 263 

1912. 

530,239 

165,203 

1,144,085 

28,146,710 





a Exports in 1911 and 1912, after Korea was annexed to Japan, are not included in export totals. 
b Included in China prior to 1907. 
c Included in China prior to 1889. 

















































































































132 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


CHANGES IN DIRECTION OF EXPORT TRADE. 

As regards markets, the cloth exports may be divided into three 
periods: First, until 1895 Hongkong was the main market; second, 
from 1895 to 1901 inclusive, Korea; and, third, during and since 1902, 
China (including Kwantung). During the first period the exports 
were almost entirely hand-woven goods, of which cotton crape and 
cotton flannel were the principal items. With the close of the war 
with China the Japanese began exporting to China narrow plain- 
woven goods, the so-called ‘‘white cloth” which was largely woven 
in Japan by farmers’ families during the wintertime and which 
replaced in Korea similar nankeen imported from China. This nan¬ 
keen was the chief export during the second period, though an 
increasing proportion was made on power looms. During the third ' 
period the principal export has been 36-inch grey sheeting, made in 
imitation of the American on power looms, for which the main market 
has been found in China. 

In 1901 Korea took 3,173,914 yen worth and China only 1,337,762 
yen, but in 1902 China took slightly more than Korea, and since then 
the proportionate takings by China have increased more rapidly. 
Kwantung Province, though leased to Japan and shown separately 
since 1906, is part of China. The trade with China, including 
Kwantung, reached 10,351,034 yen in 1906, but declined the next 
two years on account of the oversupply and the reaction in Manchuria 
after the Kussian War; afterwards it increased again until it reached 
22,768,509 yen in 1912. The trade with Manchuria through Dalny, 
with a slight setback in 1908, has increased steadily. The trade with 
Korea decreased steadily from 1907 until 1910, but in 1911 and 1912 
it showed a great increase, due to the changed conditions after annex¬ 
ation, though in the last two years this trade has been classed as 
domestic and is not included in the total exports. 

The trade with Hongkong reached a maximum of 1,720,650'yen in 
1906, but has since fluctuated considerably. The trade with India 
was small until 1912, when it expanded considerably, owing partly to 
the favorable freight rates during the price-cutting competition 
between the Nippon Yusen Kaisha’s new line to Calcutta and the 
British India Steam Navigation Co. The trade with the Philippines 
reached its maximum with 939,898 yen in 1909, since which there has 
been a decline. The cloth trade with the United States is small, the 
maximum being 234,463 yen in 1912, the bulk of this being Japanese 
crape. The trade with Hawaii is small, but reached a maximum of 
196,209 yen in 1912. With Australia the trade reached 530,239 yen 
in 1912, owing to a larger demand for cotton crape and towels. The 
trade with Asiatic Russia amounted to 309,438 yen in 1900, declined 
to 1,532 yen during the war year of 1904, rose to 1,098,642 yen in 
1906 just after the war, and then declined to 165,203 yen in 1912. 

CHINA NOW MOST IMPORTANT OUTLET. 

The trade with Chosen is now domestic, so that for cotton cloth, as 
for cotton yarn, Japan has practically only one market and that is 
China (considering Kwantung as part of China). Of the exports of 
cotton piece goods in 1912 amounting to 28,146,710 yen ($14,017,062), 
China (including Kwantung) alone took $11,338,717, or 80.89 per cent! 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


133 


China is, therefore, the only market of much importance where the 
Japanese can find an outlet for their exports of cotton yarn and piece 
goods, and they are bending every energy to capture that trade. They 
are in close touch with conditions there and are able to take advantage 
of any change in the demand. Their freight rates are, of course, much 
lower than those of their competitors. Japanese labor is cheap but 
inefficient, and the fact that their goods sell cheaper than those from 
the United States and other countries seems to be due fully as much 
to the fact that they use inferior materials, mixing in Indian and 
Chinese cotton with only enough American to improve the appearance, 
as it is to their cheaper labor. Of course their long hours also help 
them greatly by distributing the fixed charges over a greater output. 
The English ship chiefly the finer goods, and the principal nations that 
suffer in China from Japanese competition are British India in yarn 
and the United States in cloth. 

Since 1906 the Japanese have listed their exports to China according 
to sections of the country. In addition to Kwantung Province, of 
which Dalny is the port, they show the exports to Manchuria through 
the port of Newchwang; Northern China, of which the main ports are 
Tientsin, Tsingtau, Chefoo, and Chinwangtao; Central China, which 
embraces Shanghai, Hankow, and other ports of the Yangtze Valley; 
and Southern China, of which the main ports are Foochow, Amoy, 
Swatow, and Canton. 

EXPORTS TO VARIOUS PARTS OF CHINA. 

According to Japanese statistics the exports of cotton piece goods 
of all kinds to China during the six years ended in 1912 have been as 
follows : 


Years. 

Kwantung. 

Manchuria. 

Northern. 

Central. 

Southern. 

Total. 

1907 . 

Yen. 
2,804,594 
2,139,022 
3,620,886 

Yen. 

972,882 

1,371,366 

Yen. 

3,131,204 

Yen. 

1,722,796 

Yen. 

25,502 

Yen. 

8,656,978 

7,263,336 

1908 . 

2,080,735 

1,641,017 

31,196 

1909. 

2,126,734 

3,420,006 
5,209,056 
4,331,737 

1,638,257 

32,567 

36,373 

10,838,450 

igio . 

5,074,420 
6,863,554 
9,353,879 

3,029,812 
3,782,334 

2,442,298 

2,508,848 

15,791,959 

17,536,904 

22,768,509 

1911. 

50;431 

1912. 

2,571,414 

7,286,969 

3 ; 498; 314 

57,933 




Cloth sales to South China are negligible, though some of the goods 
shipped to Hongkong probably find their way to this section. In 
the Yangtze Valley, which is the chief yarn market, Japanese cloth 
sales though increasing are comparatively small and consist primarily 
of drills and twills, with smaller amounts of sheeting and T cloth and 
, towels. In North China the Japanese have developed a considerable 
trade with Tientsin and Tsingtau, especially in grey sheeting and 
drills and twilled shirting, but have not done so well at Chefoo. Their 
main attention has been concentrated on the Manchurian trade. Most 
of this trade goes through the port of Dalny, with a much smaller 
amount direct to Newchwang. Of the total Japanese sales to China 
in 1912, amounting to 22,768,509 yen, shipments to Manchuria 
through Dalny and Newchwang accounted for 11,925,293 yen, or 
over half. 























134 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


CHARACTEK OF GOODS SHIPPED TO CHINA. 

The exports to China (including Kwantung) in 1912, so far as shown 
in detail by the customs statistics, were as follows: 


Articles. 

Kwantung. 

Manchuria. 

Northern. 

Central. 

Southern. 

Total. 

Dyed nankeen. 

Gassed-yarn tissues. 

Twilled tissues. 

Flannel. 

Grey sheeting. 

T cloth. 

All other tissues. 

Handkerchiefs.-. 

Towels. 

Blankets. 

Total. 

Yen. 
280,912 
12,942 
1,158,235 
79,159 
3,532,574 
131,282 
3,974,150 
9,621 
142,219 
32,785 

Yen. 
8,273 
1,673 
485,416 
16,047 
1,247,798 
24,626 
701,261 
1,012 
• 50,136 
35,172 

Yen. 
4,823 
1,733 
2,083,536 
43,632 
4,422,674 
217,758 
316,949 
2,680 
160,367 
32,817 

Yen. 
16,015 
803 
1,509,938 
93,214 
716,556 
341,954 
417,354 
1,903 
363,036 
37,541 

Yen. 

29 

20 

17,705 

106 

10,430 

16,980 

150 

11,952 

561 

Yen. 
310,052 
17,171 
5,237,125 
249,757 
9,919,708 
726,050 
5,426,694 
15,366 
727,710 
138,876 

9,353,879 

2,571,414 

7,286,969 

3,498,314 

57,933 

22,768,509 


The main article among the ‘^all other tissues’’ shipped to Kwan¬ 
tung is grey nankeen. Japan ships’China chiefly grey sheeting (this 
includes a small amount of grey shirting) and twilled tissues (drills 
and twilled shirting). The best market for sheeting is found in 
Manchuria (most of it going in through Dalny) and in North China. 
For twilled fabrics (mainly drills) the largest market is in North 
China, which is followed by Manchuria and the Yangtze Valley. Of 
41,113,133 yards of twilled tissues shipped to China (including 
Kwantung) in 1912, Manchuria took 12,902,843 yards (9,176,712 
through Dalny and 3,726,131 through Newchwang), North China 
16,435,840 yards. Central China 11,774,450 yards, and South China 
none. 

TREND OF CHINESE TRADE. 

The Japanese tend to extend their competition in cotton cloth not 
only in Manchuria but also in North China and to a lesser extent in 
Central China. This^is illustrated by their exports of grey sheeting 
and shirting to China in the six years ended in 1912, which have been 
as follows: 


Years. 

Kwantung. 

Manchuria. 

Northern. 

Central. 

Southern. 

Total. 

1907. 

Yards. 

10,497,107 
8,735,906 
15,929,301 
18,545,838 
23,817,563 
29,457,249 

Yards. 

4,194,905 
6,141,880 
9,249,061 
12,193,006 
15,525,221 
10,473,019 

Yards. 
6,409,960 
3,351,080 
8,886,432 
11,445,503 
17,009,692 
36,152,920 

Yards. 
1,354,120 
871,000 
3,177,320 
3,912,248 
4,708,371 
5,691,451 

Yards. 

Yards. 

22,456,092 
19,099,866 
37,242,114 
46,112,195 
61,069,247 
81,775,839 

1908... 


1909... 


1910 . 

1911 . 

1912 . 

• 

15,600 
8,400 
1,200 


In 1912 the exports of sheeting to the northern ports more than 
doubled those of 1911 and the purchases by this section were only 
exceeded by those of Manchuria through both Dalny and New¬ 
chwang. 


MARKETS FOR DIFFERENT FABRICS. 

The various countries to which Japan now ships cotton piece goods 
buy chiefly the following lines: 

China.—The great bulk consists of grey sheeting and shirting, and drill and twilled 
shirting; next come nankeen, T cloth, towels, counterpanes, flannel, duck, and 
blankets. 























































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


135 


Kwantimg Province.—^The great bulk consists of grey sheeting and grey nankeen, 
followed by drill, twilled shirting, dyed nankeen, towels, white shirting, T cloth, and 
stripes. 

Hongkong.—Flannel and towels. 

British India.—Grey shirting and towels, twills, and crape. 

Philippines.^—Crape, stripes, and towels. 

Australia.-—Crape and towels. 

Straits Settlements.—Towels, crape, and flannel. 

United States.—Crape, with some narrow toweling and handkerchiefs. 

Dutch India.—Towels, flannel, and crape. 

Hawaii.—Stripes, and spotted fabrics (Kasuri). 

Asiatic Russia.—Grey sheeting. 

In addition, Chosen (Korea), though it is now classed as domestic 
trade, takes large amounts of grey sheeting, nankeen, dyed nankeen, 
and smaller amounts of T cloth, white shirting, towels, crape, flannel, 
and blankets. 

DEVELOPMENT OF TRADE IN PRINCIPAL LINES. 

In the table on page 131 the development of the value of the piece- 
goods exports by countries has been traced. In the following table 
IS shown the development of these exports by articles. Until 1892 
the customs listed separately only the one article of flannel, and until 
1898 only crape, flannel, and Japanese toweling, but upon revision 
of the export classification in 1898 the statistics back to 1896 were 
compiled according to the new classification in order to afford the 
usual three-year comparison. 

GREY SHEETING AND SHIRTING. 


1896, 

1897, 

1898 

1899 

1900 

1901 

1902 

1903 

1904. 

1905. 

1906. 

1907. 

1908. 

1909. 

1910. 

1911. 

1912. 


Years. 


China. 


Yards. 


Korea, o 


Yards. 


Kwan- 
tung. 6 


Yards. 


Hongkong. 


Yards. 


All others. 


Yards. 


Total. 


Yards. 


330,182 
974,925 
890,670 
2,551,200 
2,747,820 
2,481,220 
9,111,238 
11,773,208 
11,878,077 
19,703,804 
33,927,833 
11,958,985 
10,363,960 
21,312,813 
27,566,357 
37,251,684 
52,318,590 


1,469,686 
2,458,936 
2,927,248 
4,526,895 
12,189,020 
9,230,891 
8,999,494 
11,448,478 
9,929,372 
12,776,485 
15,367,119 
22,452,889 
18,691,626 
16,387,857 
7,804,455 
27,844,085 
48,434,140 


10,497,107 
8 , 735,906 
15,929,301 
18,545,838 
23,817,563 
29,457,249 


1,920 

9,048 

340,980 

286.400 
731,600 

92,960 
351,380 
941,950 
208,000 
418,720 

800.400 
1,062,178 


63,600 
18,000 
66,240 
112,620 


82,640 


7,730 
5,400 
265,580 
3,650 
11,329 
87,860 
273,594 
51,200 
996,238 
1,392,425 
1,982,094 
1,068,714 
664,160 
1,877,804 
5,209,223 


1,884,428 
3,442,909 
4,166,628 
7,369,895 
15,934,020 
11,808, 721 
18,473,441 
24,251,496 
22,289,043 
32,950,209 
51,091,590 
47,363,584 
39,773,586 
54,762,285 
54,598,810 
63,013,291 
87,097,682 


DRILLS.c 


1902 

1903 
1904. 
1905 

1906. 

1907. 

1908. 

1909. 

1910. 

1911. 
1912 


252,826 
1,659,860 
5,075,853 
2,142,630 
6,438,655 
10,857,220 
14,793,979 
25,201,040 
37,760,300 
25,460,290 
31,936,421 


2,000 
30,100 
1,677 
12,177 
8,577 
3,807 
50,027 
260,101 
138,119 
144,603 
332,923 




2,108 

95,328 

23,680 

150 

256,934 
1,897,288 
5,101,210 


112,000 


2,400 

2, 157; 357 


6,400 

65,234 

6,518,866 

176,313 

12,340 

114,682 

11,164,362 

1,149,432 

800 

314,498 

16,308,736 

1,262,881 
3,436,557 


493,095 

27,217,117 

261,600 

73,355 

41,669,931 

5,586,483 

. 587,600 

121,421 

31,755,794 

9,176,712 

98,931 

885,715 

42,097,779 


a Exports to Korea not included in totals after 1910. 
ft Included in China prior to 1907. 

c Includes, in 1912, “twilled shirtings,” with which drills were grouped in 1912 under the new elassfl- 
cation “twilled tissues.” 










































































136 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN 


TWILLED SHIRTING. 


Years. 

China. 

Korea.o 

Kwan- 

tung.b 

Hongkong. 

All others. 

Total. 

1902. 

Yards. 
200,000 
1,699,432 
1,132,900 
2,144,540 
1,422,380 
1,594,400 
1,679,640 
288,125 
3,388,080 
6,292,690 

Yards. 

Yards. 

Yards. 

Yards. 

Yards. 

200,000 
1,723,032 
1,144,292 
2,165,514 
1,448,820 
1,619,167 
1,985,556 

406,199 
6,117,132 
8,534,035 

1903... 

22,800 
11,392 
6,344 
1,560 
6,727 
33,140 
15,444 
4,420 
3,352 



800 

1904. 



1905. 



14,630 
20,000 
3,140 
150,256 
62,700 
271,632 
171,760 

1906. 


4,880 
14,900 
1,600 
12,400 

1907. 


1908... 

120,920 
27,530 
2,453,000 
2,069,585 

1909. 

1910. 

1911. 





T CLOTH. 


1896. 

336,780 
577,600 
2,082,160 

3,488 


6,725 

2,485 

349,478 
690,313 
3,284,998 
5,785,343 
5,752,266 
9,978,597 
12,857,756 
13,151,558 
8,337,570 
10,754,218 

1897. 

2 ; 262 


98; 451 

12 ; 000 

1898. 

188,518 

426,044 


1,014,320 
309,760 
735,050 
950,400 
1,260,240 


1899. 

5,041,304 
2,231,581 
5,642,526 


8,235 

1900. 

2, 760;285 
3,385,671 
1,356,840 


25,350 

1901. 


1902. 

lO; 227 ; 026 
10,549,508 
6,664,322 
8,107,444 


13,650 

1903. 

ll 643; 212 


931,120 

27 ; 718 

1904... 

1,352,128 


292,320 

28; 800 

1905. 

1 ; 866', 934 


779 ;840 


1906. 

6,155,714 

1 ;616;317 


518;124 
248,800 

84,180 

8; 374 ; 335 
6,483,521 
6,068,372 
5,144,729 

1907. 

3 '865'036 
2,802,926 

2 ; 286', 164 

14,363 

69,158 
3,840 
17,380 

1908. 

2,714,733 

2,069,200 

182;273 
318,247 

364; 600 

1909. 

2,666,342 

73,560 

271,440 

1910. 

2,785,220 
3,935,144 
5,226,566 

1,498,869 

95,648 

8; 592 
8,196 

4 ; 659 ;769 

1911. 

6,200,373 

6,054,410 

379 ; 483 

253 ;920 
534,830 

4 ; 576; 743 
7,584,517 

1912. 

1,340,869 

482,252 






CRAPE. 


Years. 

Philip¬ 

pines. 

Australia. 

United 

States. 

Dutch 

India. 

Straits 

Settle¬ 

ments. 

Hongkong. 

AU others. 

Total. 


Pieces. 

Pieces. 

Pieces. 

Pieces. 

Pieces. 

Pieces. 

Pieces. 

Pieces. 

1896. 

1,865 

1,599 

15,421 



188,029 

177,715 

384 62Q 

1897. 

'172 

3 ; 689 

' 6,889 



215 ', 721 

86,710 

313 181 

1898. 

274 

1,392 

5,173 



206;144 

100,583 

313 566 

1899. 

1,447 

508 

5,650 



271 ;836 

115,728 

395 169 

1900. 

1,899 

1,179 

7 ; 622 



24i;417 

129,026 

381 143 

1901. 

4,140 

3,282 

6,529 



287; 707 

103 ;203 

404 861 


Yards. 

Yards. 

Yards. 

Yards. 

Yards. 

Yards. 

Yards. 

Yards. 

1902. 

45,042 

23,288 

166,150 

19 

226,991 

2,970,065 

961,389 

4,392,939 

1903. 

47,121 

63,837 

248,935 

919 

221,360 

3,818,657 

1,222,344 

5,633,173 

1904. 

73,976 

121,251 

652,110 

36,233 

383,456 

3,863,589 

1,953,522 

7,084,137 

1905. 

163,855 

110,711 

720,374 

38,173 

648,414 

3,185,190 

1,574,958 

6,441,675 

1906. 

387,145 

195,332 

423,682 

127,357 

468,118 

2,377,045 

1,934,946 

5,913,628 

1907. 

2,106,163 

165,280 

529,544 

804,238 

807,690 

2,071,388 

3,440; 786 

9,925,089 

1908. 

3,107,945 

381,949 

266,484 

1,168,968 

673,290 

633,975 

2,871,050 

9,103,661 

1909. 

2,632,763 

853,690 

432,285 

1,451,033 

767,067 

541,267 

3,313,196 

9,991,301 

1910. 

2,042,708 

660,785 

438,643 

525,611 

828,910 

812,925 

2,797,788 

8, 107 ; 370 

1911. 

3,542,076 

975,977 

630,001 

738,869 

723,980 

538,157 

2,346,803 

9 ; 495,863 

1912. 

2,869,321 

2,224,008 

941,064 

712,346 

638,668 

443,906 

2,401,148 

10,230,461 


COTTON FLANNEL. 


Years. 

Hongkong. 

China. 

Dutch 

India. 

Straits 

Settle¬ 

ments. 

Korea.o 

Kwan- 

tung.5 

All 

others. 

Total. 

1896.. 

Pieces. 
219,870 
103,787 
179,647 
395,005 
288,220 
243,956 

Pieces. 

47,664 
43,773 
35,452 
, 92,432 

42,413 
79,147 

Pieces. 

Pieces. 

Pieces. 
945 
1,319 
2,855 
2,250 
4,783 
5,396 

Pieces. 

Pieces. 

' 28,005 
18,543 
17,170 
23,655 
34,243 
3,630 

Pieces. 
296,484 
166,422 
235,124 
513,342 
369,659 
332,129 

1897. 




1898. 




1899. 




1900..'. 




1901. 





a Exports to Korea not included in totals after 1910. b Included in China prior to 1907. 


























































































































































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN 


137 


COTTON FLANNEL—Continued. 


Years. 


Hongkong. 


China. 


Dutch 

India. 


Straits 

Settle¬ 

ments. 


Korea.a 


Kwan- 

tung.& 


All 

others. 


Total. 


1902 

1903, 

1904 

1905 

1906 

1907 

1908 

1909 

1910 

1911 

1912 


Yards. 

4,523,099 
5,500,896 
4,654, 492 
6,152,991 
7,656,523 
5,354,185 
2,275,563 
3,475,650 
5,931,382 
2,722,780 
5,737,223 


Yards. 
1,054,719 
2,351,577 
1,750,902 
817,871 
1,406,929 
526,012 
476,776 
609,751 
669,986 
958,176 
1,210,749 


Yards. 


600 
21,334 
23,514 
391,640 
833,998 
1,120,815 
1,004,199 


Yards. 


5,424 
4,995 
132,345 
532,495 
957,146 
960,795 
769,134 
796,157 


Yards. 

Yards. 

106,633 


308,521 


317,642 


344,563 


246,785 


363, 729 

111,998 

530,508 

158,022 

514,958 

254,258 

111,503 

566,043 

791,098 

692,010 

643,108 

539,352 


Yards. 


Yards. 


10,915 
69,132 
7,970 
434,575 
727,888 
272,443 
512,554 
275, 498 
704,432 
612,669 
362,255 


5,695,366 
8,230,126 
6,731,006 
7,655,424 
10,043,720 
6,782,046 
4,509,432 
6,478,901 
9,778,139 
6,875,584 
9,649,935 


IMITATION NANKEEN. 


Years. 

Kwan- 

tung.& 

Korea.® 

China. 

All others. 

Total. 

1897. 

Pieces. 

Pieces. 
923,659 
961,801 

Pieces. 
9,570 
1,703 
11,616 
69,345 
16,306 
5,051 
3,350 

Pieces. 

803 
1,846 
2,614 
73,309 
3,955 
5,969 
7,967 
6,756 
6,164 
6,626 
14,481 
10,127 
14,459 

Pieces. 
934,032 

Qfif; 

1898. 


1899. 


1,613 514 

1,627, 744 
3,072,033 
2,277,228 
1,860,975 
813,110 
1,583,096 
3,066,874 
1,906,209 
2,639,803 
2,275,012 
2,615,905 
3,473,606 
3,527,396 
5,192,671 

1900. 


2,929,379 
2,256,967 

1901. 


1902. 


1,849,955 
801,793 

1903. 


1904. 


1,549, 842 

26'498 
48,432 
250,727 
34,669 
81,339 

1905. 


3'012'278 

1906. 


l'648' 856 
2,337,192 

1907. 

253,461 

1908. 

197', 555 
775,807 
1,591,203 

l' 985' 991 

1909. 

l'464'542 

361,097 

1910. 

' 968' 543 

904' 960 

8,900 
15,598 

1911. 

2, 627' 550 
4,239,438 

2,434' 298 

884,248 

1912. 

2,'716,'862 

920,281 

32'952 




DYED NANKEEN. 


1906.. 


18,316 

464,951 

6,031 

489,298 
507,675 
229,360 

1907. 

289,708 

81' 149 

130'339 

6'479 

1908.. 

101'937 

102 ' 840 

12 ' 269 

12 ' 314 

1909. 

129' 539 

84'949 

12 ; 385 
69,303 
20,044 

4 '656 

231,529 

1910. 

273 ; 405 
386,149 

73 ; 762 

10 ; 837 
8,215 

427,307 

1911. 

210 ; 067 
387,812 

414' 408 

1912. 

316' 703 

24 ; 650 

10 ;304 

351 ' 657 






COTTON TOWELS, TURKISH AND HONEYCOMB OR HUCKABACK. 


Years. 

China. 

Hong¬ 

kong. 

1896. 

Dozens. 
104,875 
122,614 

Dozens. 
53,409 

1897 . 

62,104 

1898 . 

13i;684 

80,814 
108,224 

1899 . 

147 ;539 

1900. 

187; 332 
307,851 
491,486 

115 ; 029 

1901 . 

154,306 

1902 . 

171 ;497 

1903 . 

592,068 
797,610 
1,009,583 
1,090,099 
956,350 
553,051 
588,437 

252, 892 
341,568 

1904. 

1905. 

396; 790 

1906. 

426', 775 

1907. 

410 ; 572 

1908. 

242,858 

1909. 

389,132 

1910. 

709 ; 504 
590,122 
721,995 

608,716 
523,395 
714,592 

1911. 

1912. 




British 

India. 


Dozens. 


Kwan- 

tung.b 


Dozens. 


Straits 

Settle¬ 

ments. 


Dozens. 


Korea.o 


Dozens. 


All 

others. 


Dozens. 


39,471 
58,173 
44,875 
69,114 
62,177 
60,318 
931 
10,954 
68,255 
73,809 
90,370 
209,449 
103,266 
103,164 
232,917 
209,285 
229,728 


30,341 
21,778 
39,676 
111,545 
131,646 
205,894 


48,165 
80, 763 
78,562 
66,716 
116,139 
112,935 
72,872 
97,797 
131,125 
113,086 
181,754 


4,337 
10,787 
15,570 
32,707 
35,232 
52,518 
31,453 
53,155 
78,327 
72,713 
58,182 
84,891 
73,020 
66,344 
23,704 
121,008 
139,004 


21,258 
8,514 
28,085 
21,442 
31,210 
13,937 
10,371 
34,864 
82,824 
105,377 
367,833 
184,760 
138,056 
160,554 
198,782 
235,591 
256,692 


Total. 


Dozens. 
223,350 
262,192 
301,028 
379,026 
430,980 
588,930 
753,903 
1,024,696 
1,447,146 
1,724,988 
2,149,398 
1,989,298 
1,204,901 
1,445,104 
2,016,293 
1,803,125 
2,310,655 


a Exports to Korea not included in totals after 1910, 


b Included in China prior to 1907, 



































































































































138 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


TOTAL EXPORTS OF OTHER COTTON GOODS. 


Years. 


1896 

1897 

1898 

1899 

1900 

1901 

1902 

1903 

1904 

1905 

1906 

1907 

1908 

1909 

1910 

1911 

1912 


Cotton 

blankets. 

Japanese 

toweling. 

Turkey-red 

cambrics. 

Cotton 

handker¬ 

chiefs. 

Gassed- 

yam 

tissues. 

Cotton 

satins. 

Kin. 

Pieces. 

Yards. 

Dozens. 

Pieces. 

Yards. 

253,031 

220,004 

342,293 

32,108 

82,582 


253,713 

228,592 

195,706 

29,177 

216,381 


395,008 

311,789 

445,985 

18,191 

157, 771 


479,125 

316,535 

617,370 

18,826 

249,500 


457,700 

338,726 

675,416 

35,983 

196,774 


543,026 

494,655 

635,172 

30,509 

101,671 


496,178 

566,547 

449,359 

55,838 

55,177 


910,421 

533,297 

548,802 

78,304 

83,291 


563,953 

397,247 

620,028 

77,447 

79,338 


963,109 

263,574 

362,048 

127,934 

150,614 


1,123,122 

629,935 

181, 807 

386,149 

144,203 

210,731 

434,537 

432,150 

310,305 

279, 810 

47,076 

201,108 

271,329 

241,168 

381, 459 

163,662 

31,119 

103,640 

271,837 

471,114 

112,586 

109,908 

33,320 

76,348 

214,481 

540,078 

385,683 

141,009 

37,229 

198,914 

167,920 

397,609 

209,348 

143,944 

,28,134' 

105,307 

258,368 

442,298 

670,441 

75,642 

21,400 

38, 495 


SHEETING, SHIRTING, DRILL, AND T CLOTH. 

Japanese grey sheetings and shirtings find their chief markets in 
China, Korea, and Kwantung. Most of the goods so classed are grey 
sheetings, of which the Japanese standard is 36 inches wide and 44 
by 44 construction. Only a small proportion are of sufficiently fine 
yarns to be classed as shirting. Part of these are shipped to more 
southerly countries, such as British India. 

Drills and twilled shirtings find their principal markets in China 
and Kwantung. T cloth is most largely sold in Korea and China, 
but sales have declined considerably from what they were in 1902 
and 1903. 

CRAPE AND FLANNEL. 

Cotton crape is sent to many countries, but the main markets now 
are the Philippines, Austraha, the United States, the Dutch East 
Indies, the Straits Settlements, and Hongkong, Smaller amounts 
go to various other countries, including Great Britain and continen¬ 
tal Europe. Crape is probably the most widely distributed of aU 
Japanese cotton goods. Until 1907 the best market was found in 
Hongkong, but with the development of direct shipping to the Phil- 
ippmes the Hongkong imports have declined. The crape exports 
are divided into those of 20 inches and under and those exceeding 20 
inches. The crape most largely used in Japan is for summer kimonas 
and is 1 shaku (14.913 inches) wide. Most of it is printed, as prints are 
preferred to the striped goods; little is ever used in the white, as that 
IS the color for mourning. Very little of this narrow crape is exported, 
though some is taken by Korea for the use of the Japanese there. 
The crape exported is wider, being 2 shaku (30 inches) to 2 shaku 
5 sun (37i inches), and it is printed, piece-dyed, or made with stripes 
of dyed yarn. Most of the exports, especially to the Phihppines, 
are made with stripes. The United States takes mostly the printed 
cr^e. 

Cotton flannel finds its best market in Hongkong, other markets 
being China, Dutch East Indies, Straits Settlements, Korea, Kwan¬ 
tung, and the Philippines. These flannelettes are usually made in 












































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


139 


pieces 1 shaku 6 sun (22.37 inches) wide by 15 yards long, or 2 shaku 
(29.83 inches) wide by 30 yards long. The exports are therefore 
classified'as under or over 29 inches in order to distinguish between 
the two. For the narrower goods the best market is found in Hong¬ 
kong, the Dutch East Indies, and the Straits Settlements, whfie 
those 29 inches and over are sold most largely in China, Korea, and 
Kwantung. 

NANKEEN. 

From 1895 to 1901 the goods now classed as “imitation nankeen’^ 
constituted the largest part of the cotton-goods exports from Japan, 
and with, it the Japanese succeeded in displacing the Chinese nan¬ 
keen in the Korean market. In 1900 the exports were 3,072,033 
pieces, but as the exports of sheeting, T cloth, and drills increased 
nankeen was largely relegated to the background and exports de- 
chned until they were only 813,110 pieces in 1903. Later they in¬ 
creased, with fluctuations, and in 1912 the exports rose to the record' 
of 5,192,671 pieces. Japanese nankeen was then in demand in .Man¬ 
churia because the Chinese supply was curtailed by the disturbances 
of the “second revolution.’’ The markets for this cloth are Manchuria 
and Korea, with a small demand from North China. 

Nankeen is nearly always dyed before use, as white is the color of 
mourning in China and Korea as well as Japan. When in Manchuria 
in the faU of 1906 I called attention to the high cost of dyeing by 
the primitive native style and to the fact that Japanese agents were 
also investigating this. In that year the Japanese customs first 
fisted “dyed nankeen,” but the Japanese have not been able to get 
the colors required (mainly various shades of blue) exactly to suit 
the Manchu, and, besides their natural conservatism, the Manchus 
prefer to buy cloth before it is dyed, as they can then better judge 
the quality. Hence, the Japanese exports in this fine have not devel¬ 
oped as expected. 

TOWELS AND OTHER GOODS. 

The Turkish and honeycomb or huckaback towels made in Japan 
in imitation of the foreign are mostly of an inferior quality, but on 
account of their cheapness they are in demand. The trade in towels 
has developed until it is exceeded in value only by sheetings, twills, 
and nankeens. The shipments of Turkish towels, like those of 
crape, are widely distributed. The main markets now are China, 
Hongkong, British India, Kwantung, Straits Settlements, and Korea, 
with smaller shipments to Australia, Dutch East Indies, Indo-China, 
Siam, and other countries. 

With other piece goods the Japanese have had little success, though 
in counterpanes, which have been fisted only since 1911, there is a 
fair demand from China. In 1912 the exports of Turkey-red cambrics 
advanced, owing to a somewhat better demand in China, Korea, and 
Hongkong. The exports of cotton blankets, narrow Japanese towel¬ 
ing in the piece, cotton handkerchiefs, cloth made of gassed yarn, 
cotton satins, etc., have all declined from what they were just after 
the Russian War. 

All in aU, the Japanese weaving mills are dependent on the ship¬ 
ment of grey sheeting and drills to China to enable them to continue 


140 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


their present rate of dividends, and their competition in that market 
will be keener in the future, especially as the quahty of their cloth is 
now much better than it was when they entered the field just after 
the Kussian War. All other exports are now only supplementary, 
and as the home market is still largely supphed by the hand looms, 
the cotton-weaving miUs have to increase their shipments to China 
or stop their development. 

PRESENT STATUS OF INDUSTRY. 

On June 30, 1913, only 16 of the Japanese cotton mills contained 
looms, a list of which is given on page 54. All these looms are in weave 
sheds attached to spinning mills. A few power looms are operated 
here and there throughout Japan in small establishments, some be¬ 
ing run in connection with hand looms, but there are no statistics as 
to these. 

Though the weave sheds are operated by the same company, their 
accounts are kept separate from those of the spinning mill in order 
to show the consumption of yarn, wages, etc. The following statis¬ 
tics, compiled by the Japan Cotton Spinners’ Association, show the 
status of the power-loom industry in the cotton mills for the last 10 
years: 


Half years. 


1903: 

First.. 
Second 
1904: 

First.. 
Second 
1905: 

First.. 
Second 
1906: 

First.. 

Second 

1907: 

First.. 

Second 

1908: 

First.. 
Second 
1909: 

First.. 
Second 
1910: 

First.. 
Second. 
1911: 

First.., 
Second, 
1912: 

First... 
Second. 
1913: First. 


Looms 

used. 

Average 

annual 

working 

days. 

Average 

daily 

working 

hours. 

Cloth woven. 

Average 
per loom 
per day. 

Yarn 

consumed. 

Waste 

made. 




Yards. 

Yards. 

Pounds. 

Pounds. 

4,992 

157.0 

13.00 

37,978, 431 

48.40 

10,420,228 

189,896 

4,933 

150.7 

11.90 

37,040,197 

41.68 

10,351,117 

203 ; 519 

5,034' 

150.6 

12.10 

40,842,338 

43.44 

11,861,081 

357,818 

4,747 

163.6 

14. 40 

40,105,010 

44.41 

12,981,203 

358,154 

5,711 

153.5 

14.30 

52,345,742 

50.09 

16,950,474 

602,798 

7,128 

155.5 

14.00 

62,562,390 

46.06 

19,594,572 

676,533 

8,121 

139.5 

13.30 

/ 71,168,497 
\ a 32,784 

46.70 
a 4.00 

}20,136,711 

737,428 

8,860 

154.2 

13.20 

/ 66,064,918 
\ a 62,401 

42.62 

0 4.12 

|20,566,137 

795,012 

9,191 

156.5 

13.55 

/ 71,302,298 
\ o 40,172 

47. 47 

1 3. 48 

|22,634,385 

869,974 

9,299 

148.6 

13.39 

63,950,731 

45.02 

21,628,573 

899,973 

9,295 

154.7 

13. 54 

73,939,315 

48.19 

23,400,814 

1,024,386 

9,696 

162.2 

13.00 

73,504,523 

47.83 

24,275,613 

1,019,112 

11,019 

160.2 

13. 48 

91,032,776 

52.39 

28,606,124 

1,288,558 

12,150 

157.4 

13. 49 

90,944,196 

48.23 

28,782,462 

1,286,656 

13,988 

143.0 

14.20 

105,784,012 

49.06 

33,555,993 

1,209,845 

15,833 

150.1 

14.00 

120,529,946 

47. 42 

37 ; 64i; 661 

1,130,315 

17,484 

149.8 

14. 28 

141,300,607 

51. 81 

40,667,296 

1,269,229 

18,284 

159.4 

14.28 

147,739,064 

50.34 

41,825,840 

1,324,316 

19,781 

157.8 

13. 40 

165,330,835 

53. 50 

44,306,918 

1,224,941 

20,635 

160.5 

13. 04 

177,253,849 

54. 58 

49,285,803 

1 ; 367; 478 

22,975 

153.8 

13.19 

204,655,996 

55. 28 

54,338,034 

1,519,204 


o Dozen pieces. 






































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


141 


In the table on page 117 has been shown the number of looms at 
the end of each year, but the number has been continually in¬ 
creasing, and the above figures are only for the average number of 
looms in actual use. The number of days worked by the weaving 
mills varied from 293.1 days in 1910 to 328.3 in 1912, with an aver¬ 
age for the 10 years 1903 to 1912, inclusive, of 309J. Part of the 
weave mills work an 11-hour day and part a 12-hour day; that the 
average hours worked is usually more than this is due to the fact 
that two or three work also at night. If the yards of cloth woven 
during the first half of 1913 be divided by the average number of 
looms in operation for this period and then by the days, it will be 
found that the average yards per loom per day works out at 52.25, 
while the average above given is 55.28. The latter figure, it is 
explained, is an average of the monthly averages, which, as the looms 
operated continually increases, is probably a more accurate method. 

From 1903 to 1912 the cloth production and the yarn consump¬ 
tion both increased fivefold. The cloth production in 1903.was 
75,018,628 yards and 342,584,684 yards in 1912. The yarn con¬ 
sumption in 1913 was 20,771,345 pounds and 93,592,721 pounds in 
1912. The waste made in the weave sheds was 393,415 pounds in 
1903 and 2,592,419 pounds in 1912. 

TOTAL OUTPUT OF INDIVIDUAL mLLS IN 1913. 


The yarn consumption, cloth production, etc., in detail for the first 
half of 1913 are shown by the statistics of the Japan Cotton Spinners^ 
Association, as follows: 


Companies. 

Looms 

used. 

Working 

days. 

Daily 

working 

hours. 

Cloth woven. 

Average 
per loom 
per day. 

Yam 

consumed. 

Waste 

made. 





Yards. 

Yards. 

Pounds. 

Pounds. 

Miye. 

5,298 

154.2 

12.35 

53,581,580 

65.60 

13,869,569 

206,801 

Osaka. 

4,554 

156.0 

12.00 

40,285,025 

56.59 

11,307,956 

372,541 

Kanegafuchi. 

4,331 

15.5.5 

11.30 

37,783, 464 

56.07 

10,558,352 

369,542 

Amagasaki. 

1,637 

163.5 

12.00 

10,754,666 

39.65 

1,887,744 

47,145 

Wakayama. 

752 

162.0 

12.00 

8,034,878 

65.92 

2,690,958 

87,240 

Naigai Wata, No. 1. 

352 

151.0 

13. 00 

3,320,881 

62. 54 

440,136 

7,871 

Naigai Wata, No. 2. 

577 

155.0 

12 . 00 

4,296,722 

48.57 

1,255,355 

21,160 

Temma Orimono. 

72S 

161.0 

15.00 

7,864,755 

67.02 

2,462,454 

18,250 

Tokyo. 

877 

156. 0 

12.50 

6,802,761 

50.15 

1,998,410 

127,255 

Tokyo Calico. 

587 

165.8 

23. 22 

5,680,952 

58. 37 

1,359,048 

82,010 

Fuji Gas. 

■ 777 

155.0 

11.40 

5,674,455 

46. 73 

1,611,991 

60,418 

Sakai. 

668 

165.0 

11.00 

4,473,379 

37.94 

1,007,812 

36,515 

Osaka Godo. 

400 

165.0 

16.00 

4,284,000 

65.17 

1,146,650 

14,420 

Osaka Orimono. 

400 

155.0 

11.00 

3,658,320 

58. 78 

787. 693 

2,904 

Ki-YoSkohufu. 

300 

161.0 

11.00 

3,495,240 

72. 36 

892,599 

22,066 

Nippon Seifu. 

433 

150.0 

11.00 

2,876,760 

44.18 

706,005 

36,700 

Owada. 

304 

83.5 

24.00 

1,788,158 

44.19 

355,302 

6,366 

Total. 

22,975 

153.8 

13.19 

204,655,996 

55.28 

54,338,034 

1,519,204 






































142 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


NUMBER OF OPERATIVES AND DAILY WAGES. 

The operatives and wages during this first half of 1913 were as 
follows: 


Companies. 

Average daily operatives. 

Average daily wages. 

Males. 

Females. 

Total. 

Males. 

Females. 

Miye. 

727- 

4,318 

5,045 

Sen. 

54.2 

Sen. 

34.3 

Osaka. 

596 

4,010 

4,606 

66.3 

35.9 

Kanegafuchi. 

624 

4,642 

5,266* 

54.7 

35.7 

Amagasaki. 

130 

1,244 

1,374 

53.5 

38.7 

Wakayama. 

100 

951 

1,051 

56.2 

35.6 

Naigai Wata, No. 1. 

30 

241 

271 

44.0 

34.2 

Naigai Wata, No. 2. 

58 

260 

318 

48.4 

38.2 

Temma Orimono. 

184 

894 

1,078 

46.9 

31.4 

Tokyo. 

157 

801 

958 

42.7 

34.9 

Tokyo Calico. 

122 

1,611 

1,733 

64.4 

39.5 

Fuji Gas. 

125 

664 

789 

54.2 

36.1 

Sakai. 

59 

583 

642 

45.7 

23.5 

Osaka Godo. 

69 

385 

454 

48.6 

34.7 

Osaka Orimono. 

165 

581 

746 

60.4 

39.1 

Ki-Yo Skohufu. 

23 

234 

257 

43.1 

39.1 

Nippon Seifu. 

31 

366 

397 

52.5 

35.9 

Owada. 

64 

249 

313 

62.4 

41.0 

Total. 

' 3,264 

22,034 

25,298 

52.8 

35.8 


NATURE OF OUTPUT OF DIFFERENT MILLS. 

The Miye, Osaka, and Kanegafuchi account for about two-thirds of 
the total production. Of the 53,581,580 yards of cloth woven by the 
Miye during the first half of the year, 19,463,450 yards were sheet¬ 
ing and 778,005 light sheeting, 13,849,258 yards drill, 9,957,904 
yards T cloth, 3,517,207 yards 44/45-inch shirting, 3,260,328 yards 30- 
inch shirting, 815,328 yards ordinary 37-inch shirting, 1,715,875 
yards calico, and 224,225 yards flannel. 

Of the 40,285,025 yards of cloth woven by the Osaka, 15,185^071 
yards were drill, 10,826,140 yards sheeting, 5,813,186 yards 44-inch 
shirting, 4,069,080 yards flannel, 2,234,061 yards 37-inch shirting, 
1,822,852 yards T cloth, and 334,635 yards 30-inch shirting. 

Of the 37,783,464 yards of cloth woven by the Kanegafuchi, 
23,480,848 yards were sheeting, 7,196,426 yards 30-inch shirting, 
3,793,404 yards 44-inch shirting, 2,387,252 yards flannel, and 
925,534 yards drill. 

Of the 10,754,666 yards of cloth woven by the Amagasaki, 
6,952,268 yards were 44-inch shirting, 3,354,720 yards 30-inch 
shirting, and 447,678 yards 37-inch shirting. 

' Of the other mills the Wakayama made 7,430,176 yards of flannel, 
with small amounts of sheeting, shirting, kokura (corded cloth), T 
cloth, and bed sheets. The Naiga Wata, in its two sections, made 
mainly nankeen and sheeting, with some T cloth. The Temma 
Orimono made 4,198,861 yards of drill, 1,854,086 yards of sheeting, 
and 1,811,808 yards of 37-inch shirting. The Tokyo made sheeting, 
T cloth, and drill, with a small amount of shirting. The Fuji Gas 
made 3,064,994 yards of twilled shirting and 1,617,175 yards of drill, 
with smaller amounts of sheeting, shirting, and calico. The Sakai 






































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN 


143 


made 3,646,041 yards of nankeen, with small amounts of sheeting, 
shirting, and calico. The Osaka Godo made only flannel and sheeting, 
3,245,600 yards of the former and 1,038,400 yards of the latter. The 
Osaka Oriinono made cotton crape only. The Ki-Yo Shokufu made 
3,366,333 yards of flannel, with small amounts of drill, sheeting, and 
nankeen. The Owada made ‘‘o shaku nuno,” or long lengths of 
narrow cloth only. 

EXPORTS OF MILL PRODUCTS IN 1912. 

These figures are for the first half of 1913 only. To compare the 
exports with the mill production it will be necessary to take the year 
1912, as this is the latest for which complete figures are available. 
For 1912 the customs record the exports of cotton piece goods from 
Japan (excluding the associated fabrics of cotton blankets, towels, 
and handkerchiefs, which are made outside of the regular cotton 
mills) as follows: 


Classification. 


Kanakin and sheeting (grey shirting and sheeting). 

Sarashi kanakin and sheeting (white shirting and sheeting) 

Hi kanakin (turkey-red cambrics). 

Gasituri (tissues of gassed yarns). 

Tenjiku (T cloth). 

Aya momen (twilled tissues). 

Men shusu (cotton satins). 

Shiro momen (imitation nankeen). 

Iro momen (dyed imitation nankeen). 

Tenuguiji (Japanese toweling).. 

Kasuri momen (spotted tissues). 

Shima momen (striped tissues). 

Franneru (cotton flannel). 

Men chijimi (cotton crape).. 

Men ho fu (cotton duck). 

Hijokufu (counterpanes). 

Kachoji (mosquito netting)... 

All other cotton tissues. 


Quantity. 


.yards.. 

...do... 

...do... 

pieces.. 

.yards.. 

..do_ 

..do_ 

.pieces.. 

..do_ 

. .do_ 

. .do_ 

..do_ 

.yards.. 

..do_ 

.. do_ 

.dozen.. 
pieces.. 
..do_ 


87,097,682 
1,634,140 
670,441 
21,400 
7,584,517 
42,097,779 
38,495 
5,192,671 
351,657 
442,298 
79,180 
374,449 
9,649,935 
10,230,461 
483,857 
81,694 
1,227 
421,483 


OUTPUT OF MILLS IN 1912. 

The Japan Cotton Spinners’ Association records the total cotton- 
mill production in 1912 as follows, the classification differing some¬ 
what from that of the customs: 


Classification. 

Yards. 

Rofn ( sheeting)... 

135,092,677 

1,550,874 

3,786,415 

TTsuji sofii (light sheeting). 

Namihaba ' kanakin (original-width 
shirting).. 

Futahaba" kanakin (double-width 
■sh irting).. 

36,290,291 

Mihaba "kanakin (triple-width shirt- 
insr). 

27,140,314 

13,811,248 

Carikn (cal ico)__ 

Tenjiku (T cloth)... 

24,298,566 
31,980,818 
8,670,834 
413,905 

Aya momen (drill). 

Aya momen kata aya (twilled shirting) 
Aya momen un.sai ithick drilll. 

Aya momen Katsuragi ori (Katsuragi 

weaving or drill)... 

30,185 



Classification. 

Yards. 

Aya momen usu ori (light drill). 

272,021 

Kohaba shiro monien (narrow nan¬ 
keen) . 

11,556,960 
4,743,608 

36,068,476 
6,159,978 
262,237 
450,178 
2,890 
2,209 

Atsuori momen (thick nankeen). 

Men neni, kiji (cotton flannel, un- 
napped). 

Men chijimi (cotton crape). 

Kokura (corded cloth). 

Kona bukuro ji (flour-bag cloth). 

Shikifugi (bed sheets). 

Zofu (various). 


Total. 

342,584,684 


























































144 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


COMPARISON OF OUTPUT AND EXPORTS. 

For 1912 the association figures show a total production of 
217,671,819 yards of cloth that can be classed under the general term 
of sheeting and shirting (including sofu, usuji sofu, namihaba kanakin, 
futahaba kanakin, mihaba kanakin, and cariko). For the same year 
the customs record exports of grey and white sheeting and shirting 
and Turkey-red cambrics amounting to 89,402,263 yards, which 
would show that over 40 per cent of the production in this line is 
exported. This does not include the exports of gassed-yarn tissues, 
which would increase the percentage slightly. 

Of tenjiku, or T cloth, the production amounted to 24,298,566 
yards and the exports to 7,584,517 yards, or over 30 per cent. 

Of twilled tissues and cotton satins the customs record exports of 
42,136,274 yards, while the cotton mills show a production of only 
41,367,763 yards. The discrepancy is probably due to stocks carried 
over from the previous year, and goes to show that the drills, jeans, 
and twilled shirtings made in Japanese cotton mills are almost 
entirely for export. There is only a small production on the hand 
looms, as they make principally plain cloth, either of single yarn or, 
if greater strength and wearing quahties are required, of doubled yarn. 

For 1912 the cotton mills show a production of 16,300,568 yards of 
nankeen. The customs record exports of 5,544,328 pieces of dyed 
and undyed nankeen. These nankeens, under the name of shiro 
momen, or white cloth, are usually sold in Japan in 26 or 30 shaku 
lengths, which is the amount of material required for a kimona for a 
man or a woman, respectively, but they are woven in double-length 
pieces and exported chiefly in this form. Averaging the length per 
piece at 54 shaku, or 22.375 yards, the exports of 5,544,328 pieces 
amounted to some 124,000,000 yards. The cotton mills did not 

E roduce one-seventh of the nankeen exported, and this is mostly a 
and-loom trade. China ships some nankeen by sea to Manchuria 
and a small amount to Korea, but Japan is about the only country 
in which the hand loom is so great a factor in both home and foreign 
trade. 

In addition to dyed and undyed nankeen the customs record fairly 
large exports of Japanese toweling, kasuri, and striped goods. The 
Japanese toweling is really a hand-woven nankeen, and most of it is 
printed. Kasuri are narrow-woven goods made on the hand loom 
with yarns that have been dyed by tying them up with hemp strings 
so that certain portions are left undyed; the goods when woven show 
irregular white spots on a blue ground, hence the customs translate 
the term “kasuri’’ as “spotted tissues.” The striped goods are 
also mostly made on hand looms. Altogether, the exports during 
1912 of narrow goods woven on hand looms may be conservatively 
taken as over $2,000,000. 

The cotton mills during 1912 produced 36,068,476 yards of cotton 
flannel, and 9,649,935 yards, or over a fourth, were exported. 

The exports of cotton crape are shown as 10,230,461 yards and the 
production in the cotton mills as 6,159,978 yards. Considering that 
part of the mill production is used at home, the mills account for only 
about half of the exports; the remainder is made in small power-loom 
establishments and on hand looms, chiefly the latter. ^ 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


145 


The production of kokura, or corded goods, is shown as 262,237 
yards, and the exports of cotton duck as 483,857 yards. The exact 
meaning of kokura will be discussed later, but kokura includes only a 
small portion of the cotton duck exports. Most of the duck is made 
outside the cotton mills in small establishments and on hand looms. 

TURKISH TOWELS. 

In addition to the regular cotton piece goods the customs record 
for 1912 exports of 2,310,655 dozen towels, such as Turkish and 
honeycomb (these are entirely different from the narrow Japanese 
toweling noted above and also the Japanese‘towels made therefrom), 
75,642 dozen cotton handkerchiefs, and cotton blankets weighing 
258,368 kin, or 341,761 pounds. These are not made in the cotton 
mills, but in separate establishments, most of which are small. The 
Exporters Directory of Japan, 1913, published in English by 
the Commercial Museum (Tokyo) of the Department of Agriculture 
and Commerce, lists the principal manufacturers of such towels as 
follows: 

Inaoka Shoten, Nishi Shikata-mura, Hyogo. 

Miye Towel Sliokwai, Tomisuhara-mura, Miye. 

Mikawa Towel GosM Kaislia, Okazaki-mura, Aichi. 

Naniwa Boshoku Kabushiki Kaislia, Minami-Tzukedzu-shinden, Osaka. 

Osaka Towel Gosbi Kaislia, Enomoto-mura, Osaka. 

Toyo Towel Goshi Kaisha, Enomoto-mura, Osaka. 

The largest amounts are produced in Osaka, followed by Hyogo, 
Aichi, and Miye prefectures. 

COTTON HANDKERCHIEFS AND BLANKETS. 

The cotton handkerchief exports are small (there are large exports 
of silk handkerchiefs, however), and they are produced mainly in 
Yokohama and Tokyo, with some at Kobe. 

The principal manufacturers of cotton blankets are given as: 

Tanaka Gomel Kaislia, Nogoya, Aichi. 

Kakegawa Menmofu Kabushiki Kaisha, Kakegawa, Shidzuoka. 

Ogawa Heisuke, Otsura-mura, Osaka. 

Nippon Keorimono Kabushiki Kaisha, Kobe. 

Nagoya seems to be the principal center, and in that section there 
are several small waste mills that supply the required cotton-waste 
filling. 

TRADE METHODS. 

The principal company exporting cotton cloth from Japan is the 
Mitsui Bussan Kaisha. Its head office is in Tokyo, but most of its 
cloth export business is done through its Osaka branch. This com¬ 
pany is a very large one and largely dominates the foreign trade of 
Japan in many lines. Besides its offices throughout Japan and 
Europe and America it has offices in Chemulpo, Seoul, Dalny, New- 
chwang, Mukden, Kwanchengtze, Tientsin, Chefoo, Hankow, Shang¬ 
hai, Amoy, Hongkong, Manila, Singapore, and Bombay, with sub- 
agents at other points. Through these it is kept in touch with all 
variations in market conditions. It imports raw cotton and cotton- 


48895°—14-10 



146 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


mill machinery and exports cotton yam, cotton cloth, knit goods, 
etc., and is in close touch with all branches of the cotton industry of 
Japan. 

besides the Mitsui there are several other firms that export cloth, 
such as the Nippon Menkwa Kaisha (which trades in Manchuria, 
etc., under the name of Nisshin Yoko), Chubei Itoh & Co., of Osaka 
and Kobe, T. Yuasa Shoten, of Kobe, and others. Most of them 
have agencies in China, India, etc., through whom they do business. 
None of these companies compares in size, however, vith the Mitsui. 
Little or no commission business seems to be done in the cotton yarn 
and cloth export trade of Japan. The exporters as a rule buy outright 
from the mills, some buying on fixed orders and others taking a mm’s 
whole output for a certain period, and then making their own profit 
on the exports. The mills themselves do not as a rule try to export, 
as they have not the necessary connections abroad; dealers state 
that the few that have at times made such attempts have not been 
very successful. The Osaka Boseki has an office at Tientsin, and 
has had some measure of success. 

The principal steamship lines to China are the Nippon Yusen 
Kaisha and the Osaka Shosen Kaisha. The Mitsui ships largely by 
these lines, but also employs a good many cliartered steamers for 
carrying coal, etc. Owing to its expanding business and to the 
higher rates charged for carriage it is now buying steamers to take 
the place of those chartered, and it will probably soon carry most of 
its exports of cloth as well as other articles in its own ships. 

The freight rates on cotton piece goods to various points as fur¬ 
nished by the Nippon Yusen Kaisha at the end of 1913 were as 
follows: 


Kobe to— 

Rate. 

Chemulpo. 

Dalny. 

Newchwang. 

Tientsin. 

Shanghai. 

Hongkong. 

Manila. 


.do_ 

Yen. 

4.40 

4.50 
5.00 
6.84 
5.00 

3.50 

6.50 


The Mitsui Bussan Kaisha and the Nippon Menkwa Kaisha (Nis¬ 
shin Yoko) get a 10 per cent rebate on the foregoing rates, while 
smaller rebates are given to some other exporters in proportion to 
the size of their export trade in this line. 

ANALYSIS OF PRINCIPAL MILL CLOTHS. 

SOFtT, OR GREY SHEETING. 

Grey sheeting is the principal article made in 'Japanese cotton 
mills. The standard sheeting is made with 44 ends of warp and 44 
picks of weft to the square inch; the width is 36 inches, and the 
weight 13J pounds to the 40-yard piece. The Japanese follow the 
Enghsh custom of giving the weight in pounds per piece instead of 
in yards per pound. 



















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METHOD OF BALING JAPANESE SHEETING FOR EXPORT. 

The chops shown in the lower part of the illustration correspond to the bales above. The 
Nine Dragons brand, on the right, is the leading sheeting of the Kanegafuchi mill. 




























COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN, 


147 


KIU RIU BRAND. 


The leading export trade-mark, or chop, is the ^‘Kiu Kiu,^^ or 
^‘Nine Dragons,” brand of the Kanegafuclii Boseki Kabushiki Kai- 
sha, or Kanegafuclii Spinning Co. (Ltd.). The head end of each 
piece is stamped in blue. At the top are three Japanese characters 
(which are the same as the Chinese), translated as ‘‘Dzu Kiu Riu” 
or Brand, Nine Dragons.” Below this is the brand of nine dragons 
in a circle, then in Enghsh lettering '‘Superior Sheeting,” “Kane- 
gafuchi Spinning & Weaving Mills,” and at the bottom in an eUipse 
“40 Yds.” All the Japanese sheetings are sold as nominal 36-inch 
goods, but the Kanegafuclii makes a point of having its cloth a httle 
wider, as this helps the sale, and tlie sheetings actually measure 
about 36| inches. 

The length of each pick was found by unravehng to have been 
about 38i inches, which was therefore the width of warp in reed. 
By actual count there were found 1,644 ends in the warp, including 
32 selvage ends. Each selvage was about J inch wide and consisted 
of 16 ends drawn in 2 to a heddle and 4 to a dent. The weft 
weighed as No. 16. The warp as it came from the piece weighed 
about No. 10, but after being washed and scoured to remove the 
sizing it appears to be No. 13. Then in a linear yard the warp equals 


1,644 

13X840 


or 0.1496 pound and the weft equals 


44X36X38^ 

16X840X36 


or 0.1260 


pound. The total yarn content of a hnear yard is therefore 0.2756 
pound and this subtracted from 0.3333 shows 0.0577 pound of 
sizing. This is equal to about 17 per cent of the weight of the cloth 
as sold and, allowing for some being shaken off in weaving, probably 
36 per cent of sizing applied to the warp. 

This is the best sheeting made in Japan, the one that brings the 
highest price and is recognized as the leader. The standard American 
sheeting is 36 inches wide, 3 yards to the pound, and is made with 
48 ends of No. 13 warp and 48 picks of No. 14 weft to the square 
inch. The total number of ends in the warp is 1,744 and the width 
of the warp in reed, 38 inches. Hence, in a hnear yard the warp 


equals 


1,744 

13X840 


or 0.1597 pound, and the weft equals 


48X36X38 

14X840X36 


0.1551 pound. The total yarn content of a linear yard is therefore 
0.3148 pound and this subtracted from 0.3333 shows only 0.0185 
pound of sizing. This is equal to about 5^ per cent of the weight 
of cloth as sold, or about 12 J per cent of sizing applied to the warp. 

The yarns in the American sheeting are made of a good grade of 
American Upland cotton, strict middling being largely used. The 
warp yarn in Japanese sheeting is mainly Indian Broach cotton, 
with possibly an eightli of American, while the weft is usually about 
three-fourths Indian and a fourth Chinese, the mixtures varying at 
different mills and also at different times according to the relative 


prices. 

The above comparison shows*that in competing on the Manchurian 
and Chinese markets with similar weights of American sheetings the 
Japanese mills do not consider the low wages and the night and day 
work that obtain in Japan sufficient. In addition to much lower- 






148 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


grade cottons they use less cotton, especially economizing by using 
a lighter weft and fewer picks to the inch, and fill up the weight to 
the required amount by the addition of a large amount of sizing. 
With these advantages in their favor they have a great leverage for 
displacing American goods on a market where cheapness has been 
more of a factor than quahty. 

On January 6, 1914, the ‘‘Nine Dragons” chop of 3-yard sheeting 
was selling on the Osaka market wholesale for 4.76 yen ($2.37) per 
piece of 40 yards, which is 5.93 cents a yard. The dealers do not 
sell on commission, but buy outright from the mills, and the price 
received by the mills was slightly less. This price was for export 
and therefore does not include the 10 per cent textile consumption 
tax that dealers have to pay the Government upon taking delivery 
for the home trade. Including this tax the price quoted by the 
dealers to their retail customers in Japan for the same sheeting was 
5.125 yen ($2,552) per piece, or 6.38 cents a yard. Both prices were 
net, for delivery at Osaka. 


OTHER BRANDS. 

The “So Riu,” or “Two Dragons,” and the “Sankaku Cho,” or 
“Butterfly in Triangle,” chops of the Kanegafuchi each count 1,644 
ends in the warp, finish about 36f inches wide, are made with 44 
picks to the inch, and are apparently the same in all particulars, 
including yarn counts, as the “Nine Dragons” chop of this mill, all 
being 3-yard goods. As against the 4.76 yen per piece for the “Nine 
Dragons” these two were quoted at 4.70 yen per piece for export. 
This difference of about one-sixteenth of a cent per yard appears to 
be due to the somewhat better reputation of the “Nine Dragons,” 
the three chops being made in different mills of the same company. 

The wholesale price for export of the “Riu C,” or “Dragon C,” chop 
of the Miye Boseki was 4.725 yen ($2,353) per piece, or 5.88 cents per 
yard. The dealers give the weight as 13^ pounds to the 40-yard 
piece, which would make them about 2.96 yards to the pound. They 
finish 36 inches wide, are made 44 by 44, and apparently about No. 
12^ warp and No. 16 weft, there being by actual count 1,624 ends in 
the warp. The wholesale price for the home trade, with the textile 
consumption tax paid, was 5.075 yen ($2,527) per piece, or 6.32 cents 
per yard. 

The “So Ro,” or “Two Donkeys,” chop of the Naigai Wata Boseki 
is 36 inches wide, is made with 42 ends of No. 13^ warp and 43 picks 
of No. 15 weft to the square inch and weighs 13f pounds to the piece, 
making it about 2.94 yards to the pound. The wholesale price for 
export was 4.70 yen ($2,341) per piece, or 5.85 cents per yard, while 
the wholesale price for the home trade, with the textile consumption 
tax paid, was 5.05 yen ($2,515) per piece, or 6.29 cents a yard. 

The “Maru Tori,” or “Rooster in Circle,” chop of the Osaka Boseki 
weighs 14 pounds to the 40-yard piece and is therefore a 2.85-yard 
sheeting. It is made with 1,616 ends in the warp, of which 8 ends 
are used in each selvage and drawn in 2 to a heddle and 4 to a dent. 
There are 42 picks to the inch. The finished width is 36 inches and 
width of warp in reed is apparently 38 inches. The weft is No. 15 
and the warp apparently No. 13. The wholesale price for export was 
4.725 yen ($2,353) per piece, or 5.88 cents per yard, while the whole- 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 149 

sale price for the home trade, with the textile consumption tax paid, 
was 5.075 yen ($2,527) per piece, or 6.32 cents per yard. 

The six sheeting chops above mentioned are the ones regularly 
quoted for export by the dealers, and the three mills making them— 
tne Kanegafuchi, Miye, and Osaka—hold most of the trade in this 
line. The Tokyo Boseki makes a ‘‘Flower and Bird’’ chop sheeting 
in 36-inch widtn, 44 by 38 construction, and the Osaka Godo Boseki 
makes a regular 36-inch, 44 by 44, etc., but the sheetings from these 
other mills constitute a small proportion of the total. 

COMPARATIVE PRICES OF COTTON YARN AND CLOTH. 

The wholesale cloth prices above quoted are for January 6, 1914. 
For the same date there have been shown, on page 80, the wholesale 

E rices of yarns. Below are given the prices of raw cotton during the 
rst weeK in January, 1914, as furnished by the Japan Cotton Mer¬ 
chants’ Union (of Wakamatsu-cho, Kitaku Osaka, Japan); these are 
spot prices in Osaka: 


American: 

Good. 

Fully. 

Middling... 

Indian: 

Broach. 

Hinganghat 
Yeotomal.. 

Akola. 

Bengal. 

Chinese: 


Kinds. 


Yen per Cents per 
100 kin. pound. 


41.50-40.75 
39. 50-39. 00 
38. 75-38.00 


15.50-15. 22 
14.75-14. 57 
14. 47-14.19 


33.00-32. 50 
30. 75-30. 50 
29.00-28. 75 
28. 00-27. 75 

2.5.50-25. 25 


12.33-12.14 
11. 49-11. 39 
10. 83-10. 59 
10. 46-10.36 
9.52- 9. 43 


Tsushu (Tungchow). 

Hokushi (north market, Shanghai) 
Hankow. 


31. 50-31. 25 
30. 50-30. 25 
29. 25-29. 00 


11. 77-11.67 
11.39-11.30 
10.92-10. 83 


The high price of American cotton at the mills in Japan makes it 
to their interest in normal times to use as little as possible and to 
depend on the relatively cheaper Indian and Chinese cottons. 

During the first week in January the highest and lowest “spot” 
prices of American good middling, strict middling, and middling 
Uplands on the New York market were as follows: Good middling, 
13.25 and 12.95 cents; strict middling, 12.92 and 12.62 cents; mid- 
dhng, 12.60 and 12.30 cents. These prices, as compared with those 
for similar grades of American Uplands in Osaka on the same date, 
are from 1.83 to 2.27 cents a pound lower. 

As shown in the tables of production and export given on page 143 
the Japanese manufacturers and dealers usually call grey sheeting 
“sofu,” which is literally “rough cloth.” The customs, however, 
write out “sheeting” in letters of the Japanese alphabet. This 
Japanese alphabet consists of 46 letters that look like shorthand and 
it is used largely to express words for which no Japanese characters are 
available owing to the article being of recent foreign origin. 

AYA MOMEN, OR DRILIi. 

Of some eight drills regularly quoted for export by the Osaka 
dealers the “Riu,” or “Dragon,” chop of the Miye Boseki is quoted 
the highest and heads the list; next to this come drills made by the 





















150 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


Osaka Boseki. The production of drills in Japan is growing rapidly, 
owing mainly to the increased output of the Osaka and the Miye, 
which supply most of this trade. The drills are made in 40-yard 
cuts and are nominally 30 inches wide, but some makes are a quarter 
or a half inch under or over this standard. 

RIU BRAND. 

The ^‘Riu,’’ or Dragon,” drill of the Miye Boseki has on its head 
end in blue, first a representation of a dragon’s head, then in English 
lettering ‘^Miye Cotton Mills,” and then ‘‘40 yds.” This is a 2.85- 
yard drill, the weight being given as 14 pounds per 40-yard piece. 
It actually measures about 29J inches in width and by actual count 
contains 2,214 ends in the warp. It is three-iiarness and therefore 
no special selvage is needed. It was made with 72 warp ends to the 
inch and the width of warp in reed was about 30} inches. The warp 
is apparently No. 13, while the weft is No. 16. It is woven with 48 
picks to the inch. The finished cloth, owing to contraction, counts 
about 74J by 48 ends to the square inch. With the particulars 
given the sizing would amount to 10.7 per cent on the finished cloth 
or about 20 per cent, allowing for loss in weaving, on the warp. 
The drills are not sized so heavily as the slieetings. This drill has a 
large sale in Manchuria and other parts of China. 

On January 6, 1914, this “Dragon” chop of 2.85-yard drill was 
seUing on the Osaka market wholesale for export at 5.80 yen ($2,888) 
per piece of 40 yards, or 7.22 cents per yard. The wholesale price 
to the home trade, including the textile consumption tax, was 6.18 
yen ($3,078) per piece, or 7.7 cents per yard. 

OTHER BRANDS. 

The “Komori,” or “Bats,” chop of the Osaka Boseki is given as 
weighing 13J pounds to the piece, so that it is a 2.96-yard drill. It 
actually measures about 30} inches wide and counts 75 by 46, showing 
that it was constructed 72 by 46. The price for export was 5.60 yen 
($2,789) per piece, or 6.97 cents per yard, and for the home trade 
5.97 yen ($2,973) per piece, or 7.43 cents per yard. 

The “Kitaihaku” (the name of a Chinese saint that is represented 
in the brand) driU of the Osaka Boseki is also a 13}-pound, or 2.96- 
yard, driU. It measures 30 inches wide and counts 72 by 48, being 
constructed 70 by 48. The price for export was 5.60 yen ($2,789) per 
piece, or 6.97 cents per yard, and for the home trade 5.97 yen ($2,973) 
per piece, or 7.43 cents per yard. 

Tne three driUs above mentioned constitute one class of exports; 
the other driUs are of a coarser construction. 

The “Zo,” or “Elephant,” drill of the Osaka Boseki actually meas¬ 
ures about 29} inches in width and by actual count has 1,845 ends 
total in the warp. The width in reed was about 30} inches. It was 
constructed 60 by 40 ends per square inch and finishes about 62 by 40. 
The yams were apparently No. 12 warp and No. 15 weft. This is a 
3-yard drill, weighmg 13J pounds to the 40 yards. The wholesale 
price for export was 5.05 yen ($2,515) per piece, or 6.29 cents per yard, 
and for the home trade 5.40 yen ($2,689), or 6.72 cents per yard. 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


151 


The or Phoenix/’ drill of the Fuji Gas Boseki actually 

measures about 30J inches wide and counts about 63 by 42, probably 
being made 60 by 42. It is a 3-yard drill. The wholesale price for 
export was 5.075 yen ($2,527) per piece, or 6.32 cents per yard free 
of tax, and for the home trade, including the textile consumption 
tax, 5.40 yen ($2,689) per j)iece, or 6.72 cents per yard. 

The ^‘Sbibakuki” chop is the second quality of the “Phoenix” 
diill of the Fuji. The chop shows a Japanese plant in a pot, the name 
of the^ plant being “Shibakukei,” sometimes commonly called 
“Beislii”; hence the drill is called by either name. This second 
quality was selling at 6.16 cents per yard for export, and 6.6 cents a 
yard for the home trade. This shows 16 cents per piece difference 
between export and home prices for the first quality and 17.6 cents 
per piece difference for the second quality. 

The “Gacho,” or “Geese,” chop of the Miye Boseki shows a pair 
of geese in blue. This is a 3-yard drill and actually measures about 
301 inches wide. It is constructed 60 by 40 and finishes about 
62 by 40. The wholesale price for export was 5 yen ($2.49) per piece, 
or 6.23 cents per yard, while the wholesale price to the home trade 
was 5.30 yen ($2,639), or 6.6 cents per yard. This drill has a large 
sale in Manchuria and North China. 

The “Shishi,” or “Lion,” chop of the Osaka is a 3.20-yard drill 
weighing 121 pounds to the 40-yard piece. It actually measures 
29} inches in width and is constructed 60 by 36, finishing 62 by 36. 
The wholesale price for export was 4.90 yen ($2,440) per piece, or 
6.10 cents per yard, while the wholesale price to tlie home trade was 
5.25 yen ($2,613) per piece, or 6.53 cents per yard. 

OTHER TWILLED FABRICS. 

“Aya” means twill and “mornen” cloth, hence the customs use 
the term “aya momen” in its general sense to cover all twilled 
fabrics. Among the mills and dealers, however, “aya momen” is 
used specifically for ordinary drills; jeans are either spelled out in 
letters of the Japanese alphabet or called “ozu aya” (fine drill); 
twiUed shirting is known as “kata aya,” which is literally “one-side 
twill”; while “unsai” is a thick twill. Unsai, it may be noted, is 
most largely used for making the soles of Japanese cloth socks. 
Comparatively few Japanese wear ordinary socks and shoes. Most 
of them wear cloth socks coming to the ankles only and made with 
a division for the big toe; the two cords of the wooden clogs are held 
between the big toe and the next one and pass over and are fastened 
at the middle of the clog on each side. Wlien Japanese enter the 
home or ofiice the clogs are left at the door and only the socks are 
worn. The cheaper grades of these socks are made of handwoven 
nankeen with an unsai sole, while the finer grades are of gassed shirt¬ 
ing or similar material, lined with cotton flannel, and soled with 
unsai. The unsai is a 2-up-2-down twill, the twill effect showing 
on both sides of the cloth, and it is woven as a continuous twill or 
in herringbone twill effects. The warp is ply yarn, while each pick 
of weft consists of two single yarns that have been run together on 
the same bobbin. 


152 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


TENJIKU, OR T CLOTH. 

‘‘Tenjiku^’ means ‘‘India/^ but is the word used in Japan for T 
cloth, probably because it was first introduced from that country or 
from that direction. T cloths are plain-woven j^oods and in England, 
where most of them are made, they are generally 82 inches wide, put- 
up in 24-yard cuts, and with a few picks of colored yarns woven in at 
the end of each cut. 

The T cloths made in Japan rarely have any colored head ends and 
are simply narrow grey sheetings. The length is always 24 yards, 
the same as the English, but the width is usually about 31 inches. 
The yarns used vary around 20s, and the weight varies from 5 up to 
81 pounds per piece, say, 4.8 to 3 yards to the pound. 

The ‘‘Botan,” or ‘‘Peony,chop of the Miye Boseki shows a peony 
beside a lion’s head. This cloth actually measures 31 inches in 
width and by actual count has 1,904 ends in the warp, of which 40 are 
taken by the selvages. Each selvage contains 20 ends, drawn in 2 
to a heddle and 4 to a dent. Each pick by unraveling seems to have 
been about 32^ inches in length. The cloth was apparently con¬ 
structed 58 by 52 and as sold counts about 61 by 52. The warp seems 
to be 18s and the weft 22s. It is sold as 6-pound tenjiku, which means 
4 yards to the pound T cloth. On January 6, 1914, the wholesale 
price, net in Osaka, free of consumption tax, was 2.785 yen ($1,387) 
per 24-yard piece, or 5.78 cents per yard. The wholesale j^rice for 
the home trade, including the textile consumption tax, was 2.99 
yen ($1,489) per piece, or 6.2 cents per yard. 

The “Kin Gio,” or “Gold fish,” chop of the Osaka Boseki measured 
actually 31 i inches and by count contained 1,584 ends in the warp, 
of which 32 were taken by the selvages. Each selvage contained 16. 
ends, drawn 2 to a heddle and 4 to a dent. The width of warp in reed 
was apparently 32f inches. The finished cloth counts about 50 by 
43 per square inch and was probably constructed 48 by 44. The 
warp appears to be 19s and the weft 21s. It is sold as 5-pound goods, 
which means 4.8 yards to the pound. The wholesale price for export 
was 2.36 yen ($1,175) per piece, or 4.9 cents per yard, while the 
wholesale price for the home trade was 2.50 yen ($1,245) per piece, 
or 5.19 cents per yard. 

KANAKIN, OR SHIRTING. 

In Japan the usual term for shirting, including print cloth, is 
kanakin, but there are several kinds of plain-woven cloths classed 
under this general heading, mainly namihaba kanakin, futahaba 
kanakin, mihaba kanakin, and cariko. 

NAMIHABA KANAKIN. 


“Namihaba kanakin” means “original-width shirting.” The 
English formerly shipped in large amounts of gray shirting about 38 
inches wide, in constructions of 48 by 48 to 60 by 60, and in lengths 
of 38 yards. The Japanese have modeled their namihaba kanaMn 
after these, but the width is more often 37 inches and the yarns are 
usually somewhat coarser than those originally employed; the length 
of some is 38 yards but some have the sheeting length of 40 yards. 


COTTOlSr GOODS IN JAPAN. 


153 


FUTAHABA KANAKIN. 

“Futahaba kanakin’’ means ‘‘ double-width shirting’’ and refers to 
the fact that the nominal width of about 30 inches is about double the 
width of the 1-shaku cloths (1 shaku, cloth measure, is 14.913 inches) 
that come from the hand looms. The English formerly shipped in 
considerable gray cloth for printing that was 30^ inches wide, 120 
yards long, and about 7.85 yards to the pound, but very little is now 
imported. Similar cloth, used mainly for printing, made by the 
Japanese is also of about the same width and length and is mostly 16^ 
pounds to the 120-yard cut, or 7.27 yards to the pound; some of it is 
16-pound (7J-yard) and 154-pound (7f-yard) or other weights. 

The ‘‘Nasu,” or ‘^Eggplant,” chop of futahaba kanakin as made 
by the Amagasaki Boseki is 120 yards long and weighs 164 pounds 
per piece. It actually measures 30f inches and the width in reed 
seems to have been about 31J inches. The cloth as sold counts 62 
by 57 and it was probably constructed 60 by 58. The warp is appar¬ 
ently 30s and weft 42s. The wholesale price of this in Osaka, net, 
with the textile consumption tax paid, for the home trade was 10.45 
yen ($5,203), or 4.34 cents per yard. 

The ‘‘Tsubame,” or ^‘Sparrow,” chop of these print cloths made 
by the Miye Boseki is 120 yards long and weighs 164 pounds to the 
piece. It measures 31 inches wide. The cloth as sold counts 63 by 
59 and was probably constructed 60 by 60. The warp is apparently 
32s and the weft 42s. The wholesale price in Osaka, with the textile 
consumption tax paid, for the home trade was the same as the '^Nasu,” 
or 4.34 cents per yard. 


MIHABA KANAKIN. 

“Mihaba kanakin,” or ‘Hriple-width shirting,” is 44/45 inches 
wide, but gets its name from its being about three times as wide as 
the native 1-shaku hand-loom cloth. These goods as made in Japan 
are patterned after the Enghsh, which are 44 inches wide and 46 
yards long. A few of the Japanese are made in 45-yard lengths. 
They run from 84 to 11 pounds per piece of 46 yards, say, 5.41 to 
4.18 yards to the pound, and are mostly constructed of fine yarns. 

The highest-priced mihaba kanakin on the market is the gassed 
Sekirei” of the Kanegafuchi Boseki. This is a cambric made with 
gassed yarns and the brand shows two of the '^wagtail” birds. It 
IS about 44f inches wide, is constructed with 88 warp ends and 80 
picks to the inch, and weighs 8 pounds per piece of 46 yards, or 
5.75 yards to the pound. The wholesale price for the home trade, with 
the textile consumption tax paid, on January 6, 1914, was 8.05 yen 
($4,019) per piece, or 8.73 cents per yard. 

The highest-priced shirting made of ordinary yarns (that is, not 
gassed) is the ‘"Nasu,” or ‘‘Eggplant,” brand of the Amagasaki 
Boseki. This is 444 inches wide and the 46-yard cut weighs 9 pounds, 
making it 5.11 yards to the pound. It is made with 68 ends of 36s 
warp and 72 picks of 45s weft per square inch. This “cariko Nasu” 
was quoted by the dealers at 7.50 yen ($3,735) per piece, or 8.12 
cents per yard, with the textile consumption tax paid, for the home 

trade. 


154 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


Next to this comes the ^^cariko Sekirei’^ (calico Wagtail chop) of 
the Kanegafuchi Boseki. This is a 44J-inch, 46-yard, 9-pound shirt¬ 
ing. It is constructed with 88 ends of 57s warp and 80 picks of 46s 
wSt to the square inch. It was being sold to the home trade, includ¬ 
ing textile consumjotion tax, at 5.65 yen ($2,814) per piece, or 6.12 
cents per yard. This cariko Sekirei brand is similar in its details to the 
gassed Sekirei, except that after gassing the yarns were lighter and 
the gassed cambric being smoother and silkier the price was much 
increased. 

The ‘^Kai Jo,” or “Woman Diver,” of the Amagasaki Boseki is a 
44i-inch, 46-yard, 9-pound shirting that is woven 72 by 72 construc¬ 
tion. The wholesale price to the home trade, with the textile con¬ 
sumption tax paid, was 5.63 yen ($2,804) per piece, or 6.1 cents per 
yard. 

The “Ori Hime,” or “Weaving Lady,” brand of the Osaka Boseki 
is 44J inches wide and a 46-yard cut weighs 9J pounds, making it 
4.74 yards to the pound. It counts 60 by 57 and was probably con¬ 
structed 58 by 58. The wholesale price for the home trade*, including 
the textile consumption tax, was 5.45 yen ($2,714) per piece, or 5.9 
cents per yard. 

The “Botan,” or “Peony,” brand of the Miye Boseki is 441 inches 
wide and a 46-yard cut weighs 9J pounds, making it 4.74-yar(i goods. 
It counts 62 by 53 and was probably constructed 60 by 54. The 
wholesale price to the home trade, including the textile consumption 
tax, was 5.425 yen ($2,702) per piece, or 5.87 cents per yard. 

The “Taka,” or “Hawk,” brand of the Osaka Boseki is 44J inches 
wide and in cuts of 45 yards. It weighs 8.7 pounds to the piece, or 
5.17 yards to the pound. It counts 61 by 57 and was probablv con¬ 
structed 58 by 58. The wholesale price to the home trade, including 
the textile consumption tax, was 4.78 yen ($2,380) per piece, or 5.29 
cents per yard. 

The “Aka Gacho,” or “Red Geese,” brand of the Miye shows a 
pair of geese in red, with “Manufactured by Miye Cotton Mill , 
Japan” and “45 yds,” also in red. This is in 45-yard cuts and 
measures 44 inches wide. A cut weighs 84 pounds; making it 5.29 
yards to the pound. It counts 55 by 53 and was probably constructed 
54 by 54. The wholesale price to the home trade, January 6, 1914, 
including the textile consumption tax, was 4.70 yen ($2,341) per 
piece, or 5.20 cents per yard. 


CARIKO. 

“Cariko” is more often seen as “sarashi cariko, ” and refers to white 
shirting. Sometimes the “mihaba kanakin” is called “niihaba 
cariko” to emphasize the distinction between the ordinary 44-inch 
shirtings and those made with gassed yarns. The “sarashi cariko,” 
or white shirtings, are usually patterned after the English in mdths 
of 35/36 inches and lengths of 50 yards; they are mostly 5 to 8 yards 
to the pound, with 30s to 40s warp and 30s to 45s weft. 

“Cariko,” or “kariko,” is the Japanese imitation of “calico.” It 
may be noted that there is no sound in the Japanese language equiva¬ 
lent to the letter “1,” and they have to substitute the “r” sound. 
Thus, flannel is called “franneru” and the nearest they can get to 
muslin is “mosurin.” On their European letterheads such words 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN 


155 


may be spelled in the English way, such as ^^Miye Towel Shokwai, ” 
but the literal reading by a Japanese from such a heading in the native 
alphabet would always render ‘‘Miye Tower Shokwai/^ The Jap¬ 
anese language in this is curiously different from the Chinese, in which 
there is no ‘‘r’^ sound, the ‘4” sound being used instead. 


WEEKLY CLOTH QUOTATIONS. 

Following is a complete list of cloths as shown in the weekly quota¬ 
tion list for January 6, 1914, sent to trade customers by the wholesale 
firm of Yagi Shoten, of Osaka. The prices are net, with goods 
delivered in Osaka. 


For Export, Free op the Textile Consumption Tax. 
SOFU, OR GREY SHEETING. 


Mills. 

Brands. 

Width. 

Con¬ 

struc¬ 

tion. 

Length 
of piece. 

Weight 

of^iece. 

Wholes! 

Yen 

per 

piece. 

ile price. 

Cents 

per 

yard. 



Inches. 


Yards. 

Pounds. 



Kanegafuchi.... 

Kiu Riu (nine dragons). 

36f 

44x44 

40 

m 

4.760 

5.93 

Do. 

So Riu (two dragons). 

361 

44x44 

40 

13i 

4.700 

5.85 

Do. 

Sankaku Cho (butterfly in triangle).. 

36| 

44x44 

40 

13i 

4.700 

5.85 

Miye. 

Riu C (dragon C). 

36 

44x44 

40 

13i 

4.725 

5.88 

Naigai Wata.... 

So Ro (two^donkeys). 

36 

42x43 

40 

13| 

4.700 

5.85 

Osaka. 

Maru Tori (rooster in circle). 

36 

44x42 

40 

14 

4.725 

5.88 


AYA MOMEN, OR GREY DRILL. 


Miye. 

Riu (dragon). 

29i 

72x48 

40 

14 

5.800 

7.22 

Os^a... 

Komori (bats). 

30i 

72x46 

40 

13^ 

5.600 

6.97 

Do. 

Ritaihaku (Chinese saint). 

30 

70x48 

40 

13* 

5.600 

6.97 

Do. 

Zo (elephant). 

29| 

60x40 

40 

13* 

5.050 

6.29 

Miye... 

Gacho (geese). 

30i 

60x40 

40 

13* 

5.000 

6.23 

Fuji. 

Hoo (phoenix). 

30* 

60x42 

40 

13* 

5.075 

6.32 

' Do. 

Shibakuki (a plant) <*. 

30* 

60x42 

40 

m 

12* 

4.950 

6.16 

Osaka. 

Shishi (lion), t.. 

29i 

60x36 

40 

4.900 

6.10 


TENJIKU, OR T CLOTH. 


Miye . .. 

Botan (peony). 

31 

58x52 

24 

6 

2. 785 

5.78 

'Do 

Gacho (geese). 

31 


24 

5 

2.360 

4.90 

Osaka. 

Kin Gio"^(gold fish). 

31 

48x44 

24 

5 

2.360 

4.90 


o Shibakuki is the second quality of Ho5. 


For Home Trade, Delivered at Osaka with Textile Consumption Tax Paid. 

SOFU, OR GREY SHEETING. 







Wholesale price. 

Mills. 

Brands. 

Width. 

Length, 
of piece. 

W eight, 
of piece. 

Yen 

per 

piece. 

Cents 

per 

yard. 

KATiegafuchi. 

Kiu Riu (nine dragons). 

Inches. 

36f 

Yards. 

40 

Pounds. 

13* 

13* 

13* 

5.125 

6.38 

Do. 

So Riu (two dragom). 

361 

40 

5.000 

6.23 

Do. 

Samkaku Cho (butterfly in triangle)... 

361 

40 

5.050 

6.29 

Miye . 

Riu C (dragon C). 

36 

40 

13* 

13| 

14 

5.075 

6.32 

Naigai Wata....1 

So Ro (two^donkeys)... 

36 

40 

5.050 

6.29 

Osaka. 

Maru Tori (rooster in circle)... 

36 

40 

6.075 

6.32 







































































































156 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN 


For Home Trade, Delivered at Osaka with Textile Consumption Tax Paid— 

Continued. 

AYA MOMEN, OR GREY DRILL. 







Wholesale price. 

Mills. 

B rands. 

Width. 

Length, 
of piece. 

Weight, 
of piece. 

Yen 

per 

piece. 

Cents 

per 

yard. 

Miye. 

Riu (dragon). 

Inches. 

29f 

Yards. 

40 

Pounds. 

14 

6.180 

7.70 

Osaka. 

Kombri (bats). 

30J 

30 

40 

13J 

13i 

m 

m 

m 

12* 

5.970 

7.43 

Do. 

Ritaihaku (Chinese saint). 

40 

5.970 

7.43 

Do. 

Zo (elephant).!. 

29f 

40 

5. 400 

6.72 

Miye. 

Gacho (geese). 

301 

40 

5.300 

6.60 

Fuji. 

Ho6 (phoenix). 

30i 

40 

5. 400 

6.72 

Do.I. 

Shibakuki (a plant). 

30i 

40 

5. 300 

6.60 

Osaka. 

Shishi (lion)..*.. 

29| 

40 

5.250 

6.53 

Do. 

Zo, nito (elephant, seconds) “. 

29f 

40 

13i 

5.200 

6.47 


TENJIKU, OR T CLOTH. 


Naigai Wata. 

Hata Ichigo (flag. No. 1). 

31 

24 

8 

3.650 

7.57 

Do. 

Kwammori (court hat). 

31 

24 


3.600 

7.47 

Miye. 

Botan (peony). 

31 

24 

6 

2. 990 

6.20 

' Do. 

Gacho (geese).. 

31 

24 

5 

2.500 

5.19 

Osaka. 

Kin Gio (goldfish). 

31 

24 

5 

2.500 

5.19 

Private b . 

Samurai (old Japanese soldier). 

31 

24 

5 

2. 480 

5.15 

Do. 

Hikari (sun shining)... 

31 

24 


2.250 

4.67 









MIHABA KANAKIN, OR TRIPLE-WIDTH SHIRTING. 


Kanegafuchi. 

Gassed Sekirei (wagtail). 

44| 

46 

8 

8.050 

8.73 

Amagasaki. 

Calico Nasu (eggplant). 

44* 

46 

9 

7.500 

8.12 

Kanegafuchi. 

Calico Sekirei (wagtail)c. 

44f 

46 

9 

5. 650 

6.12 

Amagasaki. 

Kai Jo (woman diver). 

44* 

46 

9 

5.630 

6.10 

Kan^afuchi. 

Aka Sankaku (red triangle) d . 

44J 

46 

9 

5.600 

6.06 

Amagasaki. 

Dai A (great A).T.... 

44* 

46 

11 

5.520 

5. 98 

Kanegafuchi. 

Chidori (plover). 

44l 

46 


5. 550 

6.01 

Do. 

Awo Sankaku (blue triangle) «. 

44f 

46 

9* 

5.500 

5. 95 

Osaka. 

Ori Hime (weaving lady) .. 

44| 

46 

9* 

5. 450 

5. 90 

Miye. 

Botan (peony). 

44* 

46 

9* 

5. 425 

5.87 

Osaka. 

Taka (liawk)... 

44* 

45 

8. 7 

4. 780 

5.29 

Miye. 

Aka Gacho (red geese). 

44 

45 


4.700 

5.20 








FUTAHABA KANAKIN, OR DOUBLE-WIDTH SHIRTING. 


Miye. 

Amagasaki.. 

Kanegafuchi 

Osaka. 

Kanegafuchi 
Miye. 


Tsubame (sparrows). 

31 

120 

16* 

10. 450 

4.34 

Nasu (eggpl'ant). 

30f 

120 

16* 

10. 450 

4.34 

Chidori "(plover). 

31* 

120 

16* 

10. 475 

4.35 

Taka (hawk). 

30f 

120 

16* 

10.300 

4.27 

Ebira Sen Ban (arrowholder No. 1000).. 

31* 

120 

16 

10.100 

4.19 

Kon Men (dark-blue mask). 

30f 

120 

15* 

10.000 

4.15 


a Second quality of Zo. 

b “Private” means chops put on by the dealers, who may substitute similar cloth (usually seconds) 
bought of different mills. 

c Calico sekirei is the same as gassed seklrei with the exception that the yarns are not gassed and this 
makes the weight different. 
d Aka Sankaku is the second quality of calico sekirei. 

« Awo Sankaku is the second quality of chidori. 


1 


t 















































































































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


157 


For Home Trade, Delivered at Osaka with Textile Consumption Tax Paid—• 

Continued. 

sarashi tenjiku, or bleached t cloth, • 





Wholesale price. 

Mills. 

Brands, 

Length 
of piece.® 

Yen 

per 

piece. 

Cents 

per 

yard. 

Naigai Wata. 

Hata Ichigo (flag. No. 1). 

* 

Yards. 

24 

3.750 

7.78 

1)0. 

Kwammori (court hat)... 

24 

3.700 

7,68 

Miye... 

Botan (peonv)... 

24 

3.080 

6.39 

Osaka. 

Kin Gio (goldfish). 

24 

2,600 
2.600 

5, 40 

Miye. 

Gacho (geese)_!. 

24 

5. 40 

Owada. 

Matoyaltarget and arrow). 

24 

2, 950 

6.12 

Private b. 

Samurai (old Japanese soldier). 

24 

2.580 

5.33 

Do. 

Kiku (chrysanthemum). 

24 

2.580 

5.33 

Do. 

Hikari (sJn shining).. 

24 

2.350 

4.88 




sarashi aya momen, or white drill. 


Miye... 

Riu (dragon). 

40 

6.650 

8. 27 

Osaka.. 

Komori (bats). 

40 

6,500 

8.09 

Fuji. 

Hoo (phoenix). 

40 

5. 900 

7.35 

Osaka. 

Komori (bats)c. 

40 

6.300 

7. 84 

Fuji. 

H66 (phoenix)c. 

40 

5.650 

7.03 







SOME aya momen, OR DYED DRILL. 


Mive -__ 

Riu (dragon) dyed— 

Chakatsu (chocolate). 

40 

6.650 

8.27 

Do . 

Ebicha (brown). 

40 

6. 700 

8.34 

Do . 

Murasaki (purple). 

40 

6. 700 

8.34 

Fuji - - - -. 

H66 (phoenixfdyed— 

Chakatsu (chocolate). 

40 

5. 900 

7.35 

Do . 

Ebicha (brown). 

40 

5. 950 

7.41 

Do . . . 

Murasaki (purple). 

40 

5. 950 

7.41 




a The length stated is nominal because it varies after bleaching or dyeing. 

b “Private” means chops put on by the dealers, who may substitute similar cloth (usually seconds) 
bought of different mills, 
c Japanese native bleaching. 


Time Transactions for January, February, and March. 


Brands. 


Nine Dragon sheeting, free of consumption tax. 

Dlragon C sheeting, free of consumption tax. 

Dragon drill, free of consumption tax. 

Phoenix drill, free of consumption tax. 

Peony T cloth, with tax paid. 

Geese T cloth, free of consumption tax. 

Weaving Lady triple-width shirting, with tax paid 

Hawk triple-width shirting, with tax paid. 

Eggplant double-width shirting, with tax paid. 


Nominal 

width. 

Length 
of piece. 

Wholesale price. 

Yen per 
piece. 

Cents per 
yard. 

Inches. 

36 

Yards. 

40 

4. 770 

5.94 

36 

40 

4.750 

5.91 

30 

40 

5.750 

7.16 

30 

40 

5.050 

6.29 

30 

24 

2.980 

6.18 

30 

24 

2.325 

4.82 

44 

46 

5.500 

5.95 

44 

45 

4. 800 

5.31 

30i 

120 

10.475 

4.35 




























































































158 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


There seems to be little commission business in either the cloth or yarn 
trade in Japan and the Yagi Shoten, like the others, buys from the 
mills and then sells on its own account, with a small amount added 
for profit and expenses, either for home or foreign trade. Grey 
sheeting, grey drill, and T cloth are quoted for both home and foreign 
trade, while the other cloths were quoted only for the home trade. 
However, a small amount of some other cloths is exported, but it is 
such a small proportion of the total that prices for these are not 
usually shown in the quotation lists, as the chief export trade is in 
sheeting and drill, with a smaller trade in T cloth. The dyed drills, 
it may be mentioned, are largely used for skirts by school girls, 
typists, etc., purple seeming to be the favorite color. 

USE OF TRADE-MARKS. 

The list gives a good idea of the range of prices of cotton cloth in 
Japan and also shows the kind of trade-marks (usually called chops 
in China) that are popular. Some of these chops have associations 
in the people’s minds mat make them popular in a way that would not 
be recognized by an outsider. For example, the Ori Hime, or 
Weaving Lady, which is one of the main brands of the 44-inch shiiting 
and the mark used by the Osaka Boseki, recalls to every Japanese or 
Chinese buyer a legend that is common to both nations. As related 
by Lafcadio Hearn it is briefly as follows: 

Tanabata-tsume (sometimes called the Goddess of Weaving) was 
the daughter of the great god of the firmament and spent her time 
weaving garments for her august parent. One day she saw a hand¬ 
some peasant lad pass by leading an ox and fell in love with him. 
Her father allowed her to marry him, but as she then neglected her 
weaving they were soon separated and sentenced to five apart with 
the Celestial Kiver (the Milky Way) between them; but they are 
permitted to see eacli other once a year, on the seventh night of the 
seventh moon. On that night, provided the skies be clear, the birds 
of heaven make, with their bodies and wings, a bridge over the stream, 
and by means of that bridge the lovers can meet. But if there be 
rain, the River of Heaven rises and becomes so wide that the bridge 
can not be formed, and the lovers have to wait another year. The 
seventh day of the seventh month (July 7) is an old national holiday 
and that night one can still see in many parts of Japan (especially in 
the country districts) freshly cut bamboos fixed on the roofs of the 
houses with strips of colored paper fastened in slits at the ends. 
These papers bear written prayers for rain, for it is thought that if 
the weather be fair that night and the lovers meet it is a sure sign 
that there will be epidemics and other disasters during the coming 
year. 

Some other chops are equally interesting in their derivation and 
their association in the minds of the people in both Japan and China 
with certain legends or events makes them popular in themselves, 
other things being equal. However, a majority of the chops here, 
as elsewhere, consist of representations of animals, birds, etc. 

OSAKA CLOTH MARKET. 

Many cloths of the different Japanese mills have an established 
reputation in that country, as do some of their export chops in China, 
so that the cloth is quoted and sold entirely on the chop, without the 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


169 


necessity of giving the particulars. Some of the leading cloth whole¬ 
sale dealers at Osaka, in addition to sending their customers printed 
market quotations every week or ten days, publish at the end of the 
year a resume of the price variations during the year, and one or two 
of these issue charts showing the variations in detail for special cloths 
taken as types of tlie various lines. 

The chart shown is that of Yagi Shoten, a large cloth and yarn firm 
at Osaka, and shows the actual prices at which it sold eight standard 
Japanese cotton cloths. These are wholesale prices in yen per piece. 
The yen is 49.8 cents and the length of each piece is as hereafter 
shown. The chart records the price variations per piece by sen, 
except for the first cloth, which shows the price changes by 5 sen 
only, as this cloth is in lengths of 120 yards. The chart covers the 
period from January 4 to December 28, 1913. 

The net wholesale prices are for cloth sold to the home trade and 
include the textile consumption tax, with the exception of three 
export cloths, (3) the Dragon drill, (5) the Geese drill, and (6) the 
Dragon C sheeting, for which are given the prices for export free of 
the textile consumption tax. 

CAUSES OF MARKET FLUCTUATIONS. 

The causes of some of the variations are stated by Yagi Shoten for 
the various months as follows: 

January.—Market condition good, with silver high but cotton also high. 

February.—Tone of market steadied with renewal of first voyages of the steamship 
companies to the north. 

March.—Sudden fall in price of silver unsteadied the market. 

April.—Large demand for 30§-inch Eggplant shirting, also corner attempted in 
Chrysanthemum T cloth. 

May.—Chinese Government secures foreign loans but friction between the north and 
south leaves the market in a perplexed condition. 

June.—Market steady. 

July.—Prices decline with breaking out of war between North and South China. 

August.—Prices in general advance on the quelling of the disturbances in China. 

September.—Prices firmer on estimates for small cotton crop in America; corner at¬ 
tempted in the 44-inch Hawk shirting. 

October.—Prices decline on reports from America of good weather and increased 
estimates for the cotton crop. 

November.—Prices fall with a decline in silver and at end of month disorders in 
financial circles in India. 

December.—Considerable fluctuations in silver affect prices at beginning of this 
month and the holidays at the end of the month. 

The cotton cloth prices in Osaka are affected by international 
events as well as local supply and demand. Any variation in the 
price of silver in China has a strong effect on the export trade, and 
this is reflected in the domestic trade. The price of cotton all over 
the world is largely governed by the size of the American cotton crop, 
so that American cotton crop estimates are also followed with keen 
interest and affect spot prices as well as prices for future delivery. 

DESCRIPTION OF STANDARD CLOTHS. 

The eight standard cloths that are shown in this chart are as 
follows: 

1. Nasu futahaba kanakin, or Eggplant chop of double-width shirting; 30|-inch, 
60 by 58, in 120-yard pieces weighing 16^ pounds; made by Aniagasaki Boseki. 

2. Kai Jo mihaba kanakin, or Woman Diver chop of triple-width shirting; 44-inch, 
72 by 72, in 46-yard pieces weighing 9 pounds; made by Amagasaki Boseki. 


160 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


3. Riu aya momen, or Dragon chop of drill; 30-inch, 72 by 48, in 40-yard pieces 
weighing 14 pounds; made by Miye Boseki. 

4. Ori Hime mihaba kanakin^ or Weaving Lady chop of triple-width shirting; 44-inch, 
58 by 58, in 46-yard pieces weighing 9^ pounds; made by Osaka Boseki. 

5. Gacho aya momen, or Geese chim of drill; 30-inch, 60 by 40, in 40-yard pieces 
weighing 13^ pounds; made by Miye Boseki. 

6. Riu C sofu, or Dragon C chop of sheeting; 36-inch, 44 by 44, in 40-yard pieces 
weighing 13^ pounds; made by Miye Boseki. 

7. Taka mihaba kanakin, or Hawk chop of triple-width shirting; 44-inch, 58 by 58, 
in 45-yard pieces weighing 8.7 pounds; made by Osaka Boseki. 

8. Botan tenjiku, or Peony chop of T cloth; 31-inch, 58 by 52, in 24-yard pieces 
weighing 6 pounds; made by Miye Boseki. 

HAND-LOOM CLOTHS. 

SHIRO MOMEN, OR NANKEEN. 

The cloth made in Japan before the introduction of power looms 
was mainly the narrow, plain-woven cloths called shiro momen, 
which is literally white cloth. To improve the market appearance 
and value the weavers, before selling, usually half bleached this cloth 
in the old style by soaking it in hot water in which wood ashes had 
been stirred, then washing in the river, and spreading it out on the 
grass to the action of sun and dew, this being repeated several times. 
This practice is still kept up to a large extent to-day, and one may 
see men going from house to house every week or so to collect the 
ashes, though many weavers now substitute soda ash. Because of 
this half bleach the ordinary hand-loom cloth is called shiro momen. 
Most of it is exported in this shape, though some is shipped as it comes 
from the loom. The market value, both at home and abroad, is 
increased by the whitening, but as white is the color of mourning in 
China as well as in Japan the cloth is nearly always dyed before use. 
In both countries the color preferred for piece dyeing is some shade 
of blue. 

The ordinary cloth socks worn by the Japanese are made of nan¬ 
keen, the women usually wearing the bleached and the men the dyed, 
though the men also wear the bleached on ceremonial occasions. 
The riksha men and the peasants in general are usually dressed in 
dyed nankeen, and it is used for practically all purposes for which 
sheeting would be used in other countries. Being hand-woven cloth, 
the yarns for these goods are made with less twist than is necessary 
to withstand the strain of powder-loom w^eaving, hence the cloth is 
softer and more flexible. While most of it is coarse, some is W'Oven 
of fine yarns. The usual width is 8 sun to 1 shaku, say, 11.9 to 14.913 
inches. The length varies usually between 50 and 60 shaku as woven; 
52, 54, and 56 shaku are the ordinary lengths. In selling on the home 
market each piece is usually cut in tw^o, as about 26 or 27 shaku is 
the usual length of this narrow cloth required to make a man’s kimono, 
or about 30 shaku for a w^oman’s (the latter requiring a good deal 
more material for the large sleeves). Most of the yarns used are 16s 
and 20s, though there are some coarser and some much finer. 

In some cases the cloth is not bleached after weaving; instead the 
yarns are whitened by being scoured with carbohc acid. For some 
purposes it is heavily sized, while for others it is pure sized. One 
of the sizing preparations that is still used in certain sections is made 
by boiling seaweeds and thickening them with rice flour, but more 
modern methods have now been lai^ely substituted. 


Special Agents Series—No. St>. 


JANUARY 



11.70 


RANGE 


WHOLESALE 


No. 1. “Eggplant” shirting, 30J-inch. 120 yards. 
No. 2. 'Woman Diver” shirting, 44-inch, 46 yards. 
No. 3. “Dragon” drill, 30-inch, 40 yards. 

No. 4. “Weaving Lady” shirting, 44-inch, 46 yards. 


No. 5. “Geese” drill, 30-inch, 40 yards. 

No 6. “Dragon C” sheeting, 36-inch, 40yards. 
No. 7. “ Hawk” shirting, 44-inch, 45 yards. 

No. S. “I’eonv” T cloth, 31-inch, '24 yar4s. 


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COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


161 


The manufacture of shiro momen, or nankeen, is mainly a home 
industry, but some sections make the cloth in certain varieties of 
mdths, lengths, constructions, etc., so that an expert dealer by look¬ 
ing at a piece of this cloth can tell immediately from what district 
it came, and say whether it is a Len Shu, a Mikawa, a Yamato, or 
other make. The cloth is made principally by farmers’ wives in the 
wintertime, but the Naigai Wata, the Sakai, and the Ki-Yo Shokufu 
cotton mills also weave some on narrow power looms, mainly on looms 
of the Toyoda or Harada pattern that are made in Japan. Most of 
this cloth is less than 1 shaku (14.913 inches) wide, but a small amount 
is woven wider. 

The Textile Year Book (Boshoku Yoran), edited at Osaka by Mr. 
Riyemon Uno, gives some particulars as to this plain-woven nankeen 
shipped to Manchuria, Chosen, and Formosa, as foUows: 

Shiro momen for Manchuria.—Mainly two varieties; First, 1-shaku cloth woven 1.2 
shaku in reed; length, 50 shaku; weight per piece, about 560 momme (4.63 pounds); 
No. 14 warp, No. 12 weft. Second, 31^-inch cloth woven 34 inches in reed; 68 warp 
ends per inch; No. 16 warp. No. 18 weft; 24-yard lengths. 

Shiro momen for Chosen.—Some of the principal varieties as follows: First, 1 shaku 
wide, woven 1.1 shaku in reed; 400 ends in warp; warp and weft No. 16; 56-shaku piece 
weighs about 355 momme. Second, 1 shaku wide, woven 1.1 shaku in reed; 400 ends 
in warp; No. 16 warp and No. 14 weft; 60-shaku piece weighs about 480 momme. 
Third, 31^-inch cloth, woven 34 inches in reed; 40-yard lengths; No. 14 warp and No. 
13 weft; 48 picks per inch and 44 ends per inch. Fourth, 31^-inch cloth in 40-yard 
lengths; 52 ends of No. 13 warp and 50 picks No. 14 weft per inch. 

Shiro momen for Formosa.—These are mostly made in 42-shaku lengths and the 
width of warp in reed is usually 1.1, 1.2, or 1.3 shaku; No. 16 for both warp and weft 
or No. 16 warp and No. 15 weft. 

The manufacture of this hand-loom shiro momen is still a very 
large industry in Japan, and it offers substantial competition to the 
sheetings made in the mills. It is very similar to the nankeen made 
on hand looms in China, and in addition to the large home trade the 
Japanese export considerable quantities to Chosen, Manchuria, and 
North China. 

TENUGUIJI, OR JAPANESE TOWELING. 

Tenuguiji, or Japanese towehng, and the Japanese towels cut 
therefrom are entirely different from the towels woven in imitation 
of the European, which are distinguished as ‘‘Towels, Turkish and 
honeycomb or huckaback” in the export statistics. Japanese towels 
are made from different varieties oi the hand-woven shiro momen, 
or nankeen, and are therefore rather soft cloths in plain weaves. 
The widths vary from about 8 sun to 1 shaku (11.9 to 14.913 inches). 
A few are woven on power looms, but the great majority are made 
on the hand loom entirely. 

This narrow towehng is usually hand printed in blue designs. 
In the system used in Japan the designs are first cut in paper stencils. 
A paper stencil is laid on the cloth, covering a length equal to one 
towel, and then smeared with a kind of rice paste; another towel 
length is turned over this and another stencil laid on exactly even 
with the one below, and smeared with rice paste, and so on until the 
entire length of 54 shaku, more or less, has been folded in this man¬ 
ner, with stencils of the same pattern between each fold and exactly 
over one another. This bundle is placed in a hand press, indigo dye 
is poured over, and an air pump used to force the dye through more 

48895°—14-11 



162 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


quickly. The cloth is compressed by the screw of the hand press, so 
tnat the dye in soaking through from top to bottom is able to pass 
through only the cut places in the stencils. As soon as the dye has 
penetrated the bundle the press is unscrewed, the bundle taken out, 
the stencils removed, and the rice paste washed off, leaving blue pat¬ 
terns indehbly outhned on the material. 

In Japan this Japanese towehng is used for many purposes. 
Besides its ordinary use as towels, one sees workmen with tenuguiji 
bound around their heads, and firms often give it away with their 
advertisements stamped on it. Some of the patterns produced for 
sale are very artistically made, showing views of Mount Fuji, rural 
scenes, fohage, flowers, peacocks, etc., and in recent years a fair 
amount has been exported direct or carried away by tourists to be 
used for doilies, table covers, center pieces, etc. 

KASURI. 

Kasuri is translated in the export statistics as spotted tissues, 
because it shows irregular spots in white on a blue ground (sometimes 
blue on a white ground or other variations). However, it is not 
printed cloth, though it appears so upon casual inspection. In 
making kasuri the yarns, both warp and weft, are tied up tightly 
with h^emp strings placed at measured intervals, and then dyed. 
The dye is unable to penetrate under the tightly bound strings, and 
when the yarn is taken from the dye bath and the cords removed it 
shows alternate portions of white and of blue or other color. The 
warp is carefully arranged so that the white portions all come at even 
intervals, and the weft is started through the warp so that the white 
portions on it will coincide with the white portions on the warp. 
This work takes sldUful weaving, but cloth so made is greatly preferred 
by the Japanese to printed cloth, especially as fast colors are used 
(usually indigo for the blue), so that there is no fear of its fading, 
and the cloth shows the same on both sides. This system is some¬ 
what similar to the ‘‘bandanna’’ style of dyeing practiced in India, 
except that there the cloth itself is tied up with strings before being 
dyecl. This kasuri is generally made with white blocks on a blue 
ground, but in some both white and red blocks are made on a blue 
ground and there are other variations. Kasuri is the ordinary ma¬ 
terial worn by school children in Japan, and it is also used to some 
extent by the women. There is a small export to Chosen, Hawaii, 
and other places, mainly for the use of the Japanese children residing 
there. Kasuri is entirely hand-loom cloth, plain woven, in narrow 
widths up to 1 shaku wide, and except for the “bandanna dyed” 
warps and wefts is similar to the ordinary shiro momen, or nankeen. 

KOKURA, OR CORDED CLOTH. 

Kokura, or corded cloth, is almost entirely hand-woven, a trifle 
being produced by the Wakayama mill only. There are five main 
types, viz, fuku ji, hakama ji, obiji, hanao ji, and kaban ji. 

Fuku ji is a dress material made after the European style. Most 
of it is produced at Tokushima on Shikoku Island, Warabi in Saitama 
prefecture, the north Kawachi district in Osaka prefecture, and around 
Nagoya. It is woven like duck but with finer yarns; most of it is 
plain-woven but some has a corded twill effect. The yarns are 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


163 


mostly two or three ply and run from 14s up to 42s. The widths 
vary from 1.2 to 1.75 shaku and the lengths from 27 to 30 shaku. 
Most of it is made in white, dark-blue, and pepper-and-salt-varieties. 
The white suits worn by the police in the summer time are made of 
this material; it is also dyed khaki and other colors and used as 
uniforms for soldiers and school boys, etc. 

Hakama ji is a corded material used for men’s skirts, usually in 
blue-and-white stripes. It is produced principally around Warabi 
in Saitama prefecture and around Nagoya in Aichi prefecture. It is 
generally plain-woven but of two types—gassed and boseki (spinning). 
Gassed kokura is made with gassed yarns, usually 60s to 80s warp 
and 30s or 32s weft, some of the coarser grades having as low as 203. 
The boseki kokura is made with ungassed yarns, usually 30s to 40s 
warp and 20s to 22s weft. The standard width of this cloth is 1 
shaku, but the coarser varieties are made as narrow as 0.91 shaku. 

Kokura obiji, or corded material for Japanese sashes, is produced 
mainly in the Warabi district and in the suburbs of Osaka. It is 
largely plain-woven in dark blue, with a single stripe, but in some the 
stripe is woven figured. The usual yarns used are 42/2, frequently 
with the figured stripe of 80s silkets (mercerized cotton) or of silk 
yarns. Some of these goods are made with the warp entirely of silk 
or mercerized cotton and the weft of cotton. In some coarse grades 
cotton yarns as low as 20s warp and weft are used. The material for 
the men’s sashes is usually woven about one-half shaku wide by 21 
shaku long, which amount makes two sashes. The material for 
women’s sashes is usually woven 0.9 shaku wide and 21 or 22 shaku 
long, and is cut into two sash lengths. 

Kokura hanao ji is used principally as the cord or strap on Japanese 
clogs. It is a corded material, really a kind of duck, plain-woven, 
with each three or four warp ends treated as one. In making the 
cords for the clogs the cloth is cut into strips and these are rolled in 
lengths and sewn together. This material is produced principally in 
the Hirano district of Osaka prefecture and in the vicinity of Tokyo. 
The cloth is woven in widths of 0.95 up to 1.7 shaku and in lengths 
of 20 to 30 shaku. The warp is ordinarily 42/2 but sometimes 20s 
single, and the weft is mostly 16s to 20s ply yarns (2 to 4 ply). 

Kokura kaban ji, or corded material for trunks, is a kind of duck 
produced in the Hirano district of Osaka prefecture and around 
Tokyo. Those produced in the Hirano district are mostly 2.4 to 3 
shaku wide in 30-yard lengths, weighing from 200 to 900 momme 
per piece. The warps used vary from 16s to 30s, either single or 
double; the v^efts vary from 12s to 20s in 2 or 3 ply. Those 
produced around Tokyo vary from 2.35 to 3 shaku in width, but in 
length run from 40 up to 91 yards, with weights per piece of 2,600 
to 6,800 momme. The yarns used run from 14s up to 32s in from 3 
up to 20 ply. 


IMPORTATION OF CLOTH. 


The imports of cotton piece goods into Japan, according to the 
official statistics, have been as follows: 


Years. 

Value.o 

Years. 

Value.a 

Years. 

Value.® 

1868. 

Yen. 

2,542,980 

2,633,960 

2,982,311 
5,525,033 
4,888,031 

5,609,482 

5,404,653 

5,045,684 
4,908,151 

4,195,136 
5,007,535 

5,830,978 

5,523,014 
5,044,220 
4,219,343 

1883. 

Yen. 

2.785,394 

2, 488,172 

2,884,372 
2,316,977 

3,380,494 
4,691,986 

4,668,339 

4,129,043 

3,418,334 

4.668.489 

5,678,888 

6.958.490 
6,894,108 

11,610,738 
9,611,720 

1898. 

Yen. 

10,878,972 
8,946,445 
18,438,274 
8,872,906 
14,867,592 
10,610,292 
9,011,857 
18,128,763 
18,887,356 
17,548,192 
18,006,342 
14,097,818 
13,667,562 
14,243,262 
9,546,048 

1869. 

1884. 

1899. 

1870. 

1885. 

1900. 

1871. 

1886. 

1901. 

1872. 

1887. 

1902. 

1873. 

1888. 

1903. 

1874. 

1889. 

1904. 

1875. 

1890. 

1905. 

1876. 

1891. 

1906. 

1877. 

1892. 

1907. 

1878. 

1893. 

1908. 

1879. 

1894. 

1909. 

1880. 

1895. 

1910. 

1881. 

1896. 

1911. 

1882. 

1897. 

1912. 





a For value of the yen prior to 1897 see p. 11. 


SMALL MAKKET FOR FOREIGN GOODS. 

Japan has never been a very large market for foreign cottons. The 
heaviest imports, made in 1906 during the flush period following the 
Russian War, were valued at only 18,887,356 yen ($9,405,903). The 
people at first were too poor and unaccustomed to foreign luxuries 
to require the better woven goods from abroad, and depended on 
products of the hand loom for their needs. By the time that the coun¬ 
try had become more prosperous and was able to buy better cloths a 
Japanese power-loom industry had been developed that produced 
all the coarse and medium grade goods usually required. Some of 
the finer and lighter goods and specialties are still imported, but as the 
power-loom industry develops the market for even such articles becomes 
smaller. In spite of fluctuations due to various causes, the tendency 
is for imports of cotton piece goods to decrease Hke those of cotton 
yarn. The imports in 1912 were valued at only 9,546,048 yen 
($4,753,932). 


UNITED KINGDOM DOMINATES TRADE. 

The imports of cotton goods into Japan have always been furnished 
almost entirely by the United Kingdom. The imports in 1890, for 
example, were as follows: 

164 
































































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN 


W5 


Articles. 

Total imports. 

Imported from— 

Quantity. 

Value. 

United 

Kingdom. 

United 

States. 

Germany. 

Shirting; 

Grey. 

Sq. yds. 

30,378,133 
3,098,231 
1,404,066 
52,191 
2,866,083 
6,900,018 
2,500,821 
6,370,690 
2,163,389 
2,587,485 
1,044,807 
48:3,816 
157,317 
47,043 
5,244 
3,480 

0 620 

0 280 
935,679 

Yen. 

1,716,981 
225,889 
92,589 
4,564 
266,690 
478,463 
382,852 
366,416 
231,592 
144,483 
53,295 
44,647 
35,993 
9,324 
1,770 
539 
519 
121 
72,316 

Yen. 

1,716,981 
220,728 
91,475 
4,564 
266,690 
448,824 
377,236 
345,531 
229,210 
144,483 
53,245 
44,146 
4,580 

Yen. 

Yen. 

White. 

352 

1,114 

3,669 

Twilled. 

'Figured. 


Dyed.. 



Prints. 

1,061 

424 

11,585 

5,063 

1,440 

2,382 

Velvets. 

Turkey-red cambrics. 

Satins. 


T cloth... 


Victoria lawns. 


51 

124 

Drills. 

378 
29,778 

Duck. 

Taffachelass.. 

3,422 

304 

Damasks. 

1,467 

407 


Ginghams. 


Chinese cloth. 



Korean cloth. 




All others. 

68,345 

746 

2,740 

Total. 


4,129,043 

4,017,912 

33,853 

30,780 




o Pieces. 


Of the total imports the United Kingdom supphed 97.31 per cent 
and had practically no competition; only a little duck came from the 
United States and a small amount of prints from Germany. 

HEAVY IMPORTS IN 1900. 

The irriports of cotton piece goods remained small until after the 
Chino-Japanese War, when there was an increase, due to the general 
prosperity in Japan and to the consequent tendency to luxury. There 
was a large increase in 1896, a decline in 1897, another increase in 
1898, a decline in 1899, and in 1900 the import trade rose to a level 
that has since been surpassed but once. The imports of cotton piece 
goods in 1900 were as follows: 


Articles. 


Total imports. 


Imported from 


Quantity. 


Value. 


United 

Kingdom. 


Germany. 


Shirting; 

Grey. 

White. 

Twilled. 

Figured. 

Dyed. 

Satins. 

Prints. 

Flannel. 

Umbrella cloth. 

Velvets. 

Turkey-red cambrics.. 

Victoria lawns.. 

Handkerchiefs, in piece 

Duck.. 

Drills. 

T cloth . 

All others. 


Sg. yds. 
69,839,980 
12,849,043 
2,663,617 
65 

352,420 
16,727,383 
14,094,812 
6,672,018 
3,631,619 

1.803.570 
3,288,029 
4,151,833 
2,118,082 

171,107 
574,878 
50,951 

3.320.570 


Yen. 

5,558,004 

1,325,142 

339,029 

19 

54,372 
3,662,638 
2,002,732 
1,515,409 
886,632 
864,497 
424,772 
281,718 
250,504 
100,000 
96,355 
5,035 
1,071,416 


Yen. 

5,555,116 

1,250,610 

333,978 


52,521 
3,653,112 
1,949,102 
81,766 
882,632 
710,905 
405,487 
281,718 
226,227 
8,983 
83,939 
5,035 
755,833 


Yen. 

21 

502 

3,012 


1,636 
6,541 
18,103 
1,209,751 


152,308 


297 

1,755 

37 


192,296 


18,438,274 


16,236,964 


1,586,259 


United 

States. 


Yen. 

2,855 
14,700 


1 

6 


1,024 


88,865 

11,700 


5,759 


124,910 


Total 

































































































166 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


The total imports in 1900 were 18,438,274 yen, or $9,182,260, as 
c ompared with 4,129,043 yen, or $2,056,263, in 1890. There were 
large increases in the imports of grey and white and twilled shirting, 
and prints, Victoria lawns, and velvets. The greatest increase, however, 
was in cotton satins (including Italians), winch in 1890 amounted to 
231,592 yen and in 1900 to 3,662,638 yen. If the new item of um¬ 
brella cloth were also included under this, it would bring the 1900 
figures to 4,549,270 yen, or nearly 30 times the value of such imports 
in 1890. On the other hand, the purchases of dyed shirtings and 
Turkey-red cambrics and T cloths decreased. By this time the 
Japanese were enlarging their industry and increasing their exports 
of T cloth, and this item disappears in the import trade after 1900. 
Cotton flannels were not listed in 1890, but later the Germans began 
to ship large amounts and in 1900 the total imports amounted to 
1,515,409 yen, of which Germany alone supplied 1,209,751 yen. 
Owing to this new line of imports developed by Germany, the share 
of the English in the import trade declined to 88.06 per cent in 1900. 
Germany had 8.6 per cent and the small remainder came from all 
other countries. As in 1890, the United States contributed mainly 
duck. 

COURSE OF TRADE IN RECENT YEARS. 


The course of the cotton piece goods imports into Japan since 1900 
is shown in the following table: 


Articles. 

1901 

1902 

1903 

1904 

1905 

1906 

Shirting: 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Grey. 

2,991,651 

5,070,651 

3,627,373 

2,730,257 

6,273,502 

7,502,392 

White. 

575,743 

1,191,777 

648,492 

637,562 

1,699,826 

1,292,599 

Twilled. 

49,861 

126,623 

77,297 

41,150 

99,086 

136,913 

Satins and Italians. 

1,684,497 

1,788,536 

1,140,858 

656,546 

1,999,924 

2,187,795 

Umbrella cloth. 

1,086,066 

827,322 

560,889 

587,346 

792,334 

1,593,348 

Prints. 

680,468 

2,602,032 

1,975,376 

532,093 

1,392,977 

2,572,330 

Velvets and plushes. 

453,531 

1,231,077 

759,709 

293,577 

864,089 

' 713; 145 

Victoria lawns. 

180,326 

262,080 

117,215 

192,847 

428,963 

493,647 

Handkerchiefs, in piece. 

3,392 

3,695 

6,542 

9,922 

49,412 

41,644 

Flannels. 

234,672 

704,812 

536,946 

272,115 

481,533 

1,054,232 

Duck. 

111,325 

76,546 

74,298 

1,005,969 

1,708,211 

112,501 

DrUls. 

92, 723 

96,690 

108,644 

1,221,702 

1,012,292 

94,172 

Tmkey reds and dyed shirting. 

202,664 

308,992 

361,787 

7,426 

186,602 

5,559 

All others. 

525,987 

576,759 

614, 866 

823,345 

1,140,012 

1,087,079 

Total. 

8,872,906 

14,867,592 

10,610,292 

9,011,857 

18,128,763 

18,887,356 

Articles. 

1907 

1908 

1909 

1910 

1911 

1912 

Shirting: 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Grey. 

6,946,655 

7,521,714 

5,555,889 

5,469,926 

5,336,303 

1,629,379 

White. 

1,285,953 

1,641,148 

1,262,918 

910,775 

1,444,489 

1,238,408 

TwiUed. 

117,656 

34,321 

74,130 

114,985 

30,871 

139,786 

Satins and Italians. 

Umbrella cloth. 

2,083,210 

1,695,757 

3,072,725 

1,696,093 

1,796,223 

885,044 

1,532,266 

1,353,802 

1,903;684 
1,459,752 

} 3,119,197 

Prints. 

2,494,944 

1,338,611 

1,708,569 

1,720,390 

1,271,837 

425,516 

Velvets and plushes. 

893,171 

1,404,576 

1,301,794 

862,939 

795,993 

1,113,159 

Victoria lawns. 

227,517 

240,789 

383,653 

279,889 

446;119 

335,580 

Handkerchiefs, in piece. 

49,043 

106,832 

169^487 

176,326 

259,121 

(a) 

Flannels. 

623,206 

205,080 

176,007 

186,599 

61,245 

95,758 

Duck. 

103,171 

79,905 

45,803 

97,646 

64,305 

44; 023 

DriUs. 

37,589 

27,869 

35,112 

29,122 

19,126 

(a) 

Turkey reds and dyed shirting. 

14,406 

6,981 

30,710 

43,342 

11,049 

43,837 

All others. 

975, 914 

629,698 

672,479 

889,555 

1,139,368 

1,361;405 

Total. 

17,548,192 

18,006,342 

14,097,818 

13,667,562 

14,243,262 

9,546,048 


oNot separately stated. 


































































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


167 


Ill 1905 the imports of cotton piece goods doubled because of the 
army requirements, and as there were not enough looms to supply 
the demand in the country large imports were made during 1906, 
1907, and 1908 to satisfy the more luxurious tendencies of the people 
during the years following the Russian War. This tendency was so 
strong that the increase in the tariff in 1906 had only a small effect 
on the trade. By 1909, however, with the increase in domestic 
production and a reaction from the prosperous times, the imports 
lell off and this decline continued in 1910. In 1911 there was a 
slight rise, due to stocks being imported in anticipation of a higher 
tariff, but in 1912, with this tariff in force, the imports declined 
sharply. 

SHARE OF UNITED STATES IN TRADE. 

Only in 1904 and 1905 has the United States been able to get much 
share in the trade, and that was due solely to the demand for duck 
and drill for the army. According to official statistics Japan bought 
from the United States in 1905 2,209,591 yen of cotton piece goods, 
of which duck accounted for 3,325,341 yards, valued at 1,672,388 
yen, and drills for 1,175,125 yards, valued at 362,761 yen. With 
the cessation of this special demand the total purchases from the 
United States in 1906 dropped to 122,619 yen, of which duck 
amounted to 120,381 yards, valued at 94,085 yen, and drills to 82,498 
yards, valued at 17,420 yen. Before and since the two war years of 
1904 and 1905 the amount of cotton piece goods bought from the 
United States has been negligible. Most of the articles still required 
from abroad are such as are export specialties of the United King¬ 
dom, hence that country dominates the trade. 

From 1905 to 1911, inclusive, Japan imported considerable amounts 
of grey shirtings, but the higher tariff of 1911, with the increased 
manufacture of fine yarn and cloth in the country, bids fair to wipe 
out this trade, except in certain special lines. In 1912 the imports 
of grey shirtings declined to 1,629,379 yen. Part of the grey shirtings 
imported are grey ‘Sprinters,” 30^ inches wide in 120-yard lengths, 
about 72 by 72 construction and finer, which are used for printing; but 
imports of these and the ordinary grey shirtings, 44/45 inches wide, 
with about the same construction but usually 46 yards long, and 
others of similar character tend to decline rapidly, especially as the 
Japanese are steadily developing the printing as well as weaving 
industry. The fine cambrics made of Egyptian cotton classed under 
this heading, certain classes of white shirting, and Victoria lawns will 
continue to be imported, however, as the Japanese find it difficult to 
make these as perfectly and with as good finish as the English, owing 
to their labor not being so skilled. 

PURCHASES FOR SPECIAL INDUSTRIES. 

Japan has been importing from Belfast considerable amounts of 
fine linen, and Hnen and cotton mixtures, for use in the manufacture 
of drawn work, of which the exports are increasing, but the present 
tendency is to substitute cotton cloth with a linen finish for the more 
expensive hnen, and if this tendency continues the imports of linen 
from Belfast will be considerably curtailed while purchases of suitable 
cotton goods will be maintained. The standard size of the drawn- 
work articles is 36 inches square (of which 2^ inches is allowed for 


168 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


hem), and the average price for hnen is stated to be about 20s.; for 
unions the cost is 15s., and for cotton about 10s., so that there is con¬ 
siderable economy in using a cotton foundation. Though the bulk 
of such cotton cloth is still imported, owing to the Japanese not being 
able to make either the cloth or the finish satisfactorily, Japanese 
goods are being used for the cheaper grades; the Japanese are improv¬ 
ing their methods and in time will make all grades required. Each 
class of work of this character is done in a separate section of the 
country. For instance, drawn work comes from the district which 
has Hamamatsu as its center, renaissance from Echigo and Yoko¬ 
suka, and embroidery from Kozu and Nagoya. The imports of 
white shirtings and Victoria lawns for this line of work are fittle 
affected by the increased tariff rates, as a drawback is allowed upon 
the exportation of the finished articles. 

The continuance of the large imports of cotton satins and Italians 
is explained, aside from the inferiority of the Japanese products, 
mainly by the fact that the Japanese have developed a considerable 
trade in the Far East, British India, the United States, and other 
countries, for cheap umbrellas made on the European pattern. The 
Japanese do not use many foreign umbrellas, as they prefer their 
cheaper native umbrella made of oiled paper stretched on bamboo 
framework, and their manufacture is mainly for export. In 1910 
they shipped ‘^Umbrellas and parasols, European,” to the number 
of 3,400,941, valued at 1,849,733 yen; in 1911, 3,197,388, valued at 
1,657,433 yen; and in 1912, 3,416,849, valued at 1,556,302 yen. Of 
the total exports in 1912, umbrellas and parasols to the number of 
3,378,454, valued at 1,513,466 yen, were of cotton tissues, and only 
38,395, valued at 42,836 yen, of silk or other tissues. The great 
majority of these European-pattern umbrellas go to China, Dutch 
East Indies, and the British Straits Settlements, with smaller amounts 
to Hongkong, British India, Kwantung Province, etc. In 1912 the 
United States is recorded as buying 160,028 umbrellas, valued at 
24,750 yen. 

IMPORTS UNDER NEW TARIFF IN 1912. 

In 1912, under the new tariff, the classification of imports was 
somewhat changed, and the imports of cotton piece goods are given 
as follows: 


Articles. 

Quantity. 

Value. 

Velvets, plushes, and 
other pile tissues. 

Sq, yds. 

Yen. 

2,(X)5,571 

1,113,159 

Flannels and other raised 
tissues. 

303,158 

95,758 

Gauze, crapes, etc. 

8,126 

Plain tissues: 


Gre}^— 

Shirting and 
sheeting. 

14,261,452 

51,259 

1,629,379 

Ducks. 

44,023 

other. 

984,574 

118,773 

Bleached— 

Shirting and 
sheeting. 

9,101,447 
4,325,792 

1,238,408 

Victoria lawns.... 

335,580 

other. 

1,244,193 

194,227 

Other— 

• 

Dyed shirting and 
turkey-red cam¬ 
brics . 

270,815 

43,837 

Prints. 

2,601,799 

425,516 

Other. 

1,560,364 

366,809 


Articles 

Quantity. 

Value. 

Figured or brocaded tis- 

Sq. yds. 

Yen. 

sues: 



Grey. 

2 

1 

Bleached. 

43,780 

15,262 

Other. 

219,732 

69,690 

All other cotton tissues: 
Grey- 

Twilled shirting 

and drills. 

985 

297 

Other. 

85,859 

23,300 

Bleached— 

Twilled shirting 

and drills. 

822,203 

139,489 

Other. 

324,303 

76,676 

Other— 

Italians and satins 

13,730,437 

3,119,197 

Other. 

2,360,469 

488,541 

Total. 


9,546,048 






































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


169 


Umbrella cloths (Italians and other satins, mostly black), grey 
and bleached shirtings of fine construction, and cotton velvets and 
plushes are the only articles now imported in appreciable amounts; 
and of these, only the umbrella cloths and possibly the velvets and 
plushes have much prospect of holding their own. 

In 1912 the trade was, as theretofore, almost monopolized by the 
United Kingdom, which shipped goods valued at 8,703,240 yen, or 
92.04 per cent of the total. Of the remainder, Germany obtained 
354,518 yen worth, of which the chief item was cotton plush and 
velvet, worth 142,823 yen, and the United States 84,572 yen, of 
which the principal items were 24,851 yen of twilled shirting and 
22,904 yen of duck. France supplied 27,376 yen worth, while the 
amounts from all othes were negligible. 

JAPANESE CUSTOMS DUTIES.' 

Japan was formally opened to foreign trade in 1858. In 1859, at 
the time when most of the early commercial treaties with the western 
powers had been concluded, customhouses were for the first time 
established and customs duties levied at a few open ports selected for 
that purpose. The customs tariff of that time was entirely deter¬ 
mined by treaty, but the term of its operation was short, as the whole 
tariff was revised by treaties in 1866. This revised tariff was low, 
the general basis being 5 per cent on the value of articles imported 
and exported, and it remained almost unchanged for a period of some 
33 years, until 1899, when new treaties of commerce and navigation, 
negotiated with foreign powers, became effective. 

The coming into effect of the revised commercial treaties with the 
foreign powers made it possible on January 1, 1899, to bring into 
operation a general tariff which, combined with the new conventional 
tariffs, formed the new customs tariff of the country. At the same 
time all remaining export duties were entirely abolished. That on 
the export of cotton yarn had already been abolished on July 1, 1894. 

In 1904 urgent needs of the extraordinary fund led to the imposition 
of a special surtax on the customs duties as well as on other taxes, 
and soon after the restoration of peace the entire customs tariff was 
revised and a higher one came into force on October 1, 1906. This 
tariff specified 538 articles divided into 19 groups, and imposed 
specific duties on many of these. 

On July 17, 1911, the present customs tariff came into operation. 
This tariff enumerates 647 articles, classified into 17 groups; they 
are still further subdivided and the duties thereon as far as possible 
converted into specific duties. Kaw materials are mostly duty-free; 
upon half manufactured materials light duties are levied; and upon 
manufactured goods the rates vary in general from 15 to 40 per cent, 
with a duty of as much as 50 per cent upon some articles of luxury. 
The effect of the doubling of the small duties in 1899, the surtax of 
1904, and the new tariffs of 1906 and 1911 was immediately reflected 
in the imports of cotton yarn, which declined under each new burden. 
The imports of cotton piece goods declined in 1899, expanded again 
in 1900, and then again declined, decreasing under the surtaxes of 1904 
to less than half the amount of 1900; the tariff of 1906 did not affect 
the imports greatly, except to cause some changes in the kind of goods 


1 See Customs Tariff of Japan, Tariff Series Nos. 28 and 28 a. 




170 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


imported, as the people were becoming wealthier and there was a 
strong demand for cottons not made in sufficient amounts, some not 
at all, within the country. The heavy decline in the imports of cotton 
goods in 1912 was due largely to the higher tariff inaugurated in 1911, 
but none of these increased entrance charges would have been 
effective except for the great expansion that took place in the domestic 
production of various kinds of cotton yarn and cotton piece goods, 
so that the decline has been due more to the development of the home 
industry than to the tariffs, though the industry has been aided by 
the higher duties. 

The duties on cotton and its manufactures under the tariff effective 
July 17, 1911, are shown in the table following. The rates of duty 
given are applicable to imports from the' principal cotton-goods 
exporting countries, including the United States.^ 

Import Duties on Cotton and its Manufactures. 

Note 1.—The term “fabrics” in this group (Nos. 298-343) includes felts and knitted fabrics. 

Note 2.—The term “silk” in this group includes artificial silk. 

Note 3.—In case a fabric in this group is composed of more than one kind of fiber, no fiber that does not 
exceed 5 per cent of the fabric bjr weight shall be considered as an admixtme in reference to the tariff classi¬ 
fication, with the exception of silk and artificial silk. 

Note 4.—The number of threads constituting a fabric shall be ascertained by covmting the elementary 
threads in the part where the greatest number of threads are used. 

“Elementary threads” in Note 4 means single threads; for instance, a two-ply yarn will be coimted as 
two threads, and not as one thread, and does not mean those particular threads in the body or bulk of the 
cloth, which are commonly known in England as “elementary threads.” Consequently, in counting 
threads in fabrics which have a design or border, the “elementary threads” will be counted wherever they 
happen to be most numerous, whether it be in the design or border or in the body of the fabric. 

Note 4 is intended to apply to the counting of threads constituting such fabrics as have fibres, stripes, or 
other designs. In case the number of threads is unequal in different parts of one piece, owing to imperfec¬ 
tions in weaving, the mean of the number of threads in several parts of the fabric will be taken for the pur¬ 
pose of tariff classification. Fractions of threads, that is, threads which touch one of the sides of the coimt- 
ing-glass along its whole length, will not be counted. 

Note 5.—Figured fabrics are those with a design or repeat constituted by interlacing both warp and 
weft threads more than 20 in number. In counting the threads, twisted yarn, consisting of two or more 
single yarns or yarns put together to act as one, shall be counted as one. 

A figured fabric, such as is dutiable under No. 298 (8), is one that has a design or repeat constituted by 
interlacing more than 20 warp threads with more than 20 weft threads. For the purpose of counting the 
said threads, twisted yarns consisting of two or more single yarns or yarns put together to act as one, will 
be counted as one thread. It is clear, however, that this method of counting will be used only in ascertain¬ 
ing whether a fabric should pay duty as a figured fabric or not, and not for the purpose of counting threads 
as set forth in Note 4. 

The quality of the selvage shall not affect the tariff classification of a fabric, unless intended expressly 
for. the ornamentation of the fabric. 

Cotton fabrics known in the trade as “scoured” or “washed” fabrics will not be dutiable as “bleached 
fabrics,” so long as the natural color is retained. 


Tariff 

No. 

• 

• 

Rates of duty. 

, Articles. 

In yen 

(=49.8 cents). 

In dollars. 

271 

Cotton in the seed or ginned, including carded or combed cotton... 

Per 100 kin. 
Free. 

Per 100 lbs. 
Free. 

272 

Cotton yarns: 

1. Single or two ply— 

A. Unbleached,including gassed yarn, not exceeding— 
a. No. 24 English. 

5.80 

2.18 


b. No. 42 English. 

6.40 

2.41 


c. No. 60 English. 

9.50 

3.58 


d. No. 80 English. 

11.00 

4.14 


e. Other. 

11.30 

4.25 


B, Bleached simply —Duti ible as unbleached yarn, plus . 

C. Other —Dutiable as unbleached yarn, plus . 

1.00 

.38 


3.00 

1.13 


2. Other— 

A. Unbleached, including gassed yarn. 

28.00 

10.54 


B. Other. 

30.00 

11.29 

273 

Cotton twine not exceeding 3 grams per 10 meters and cotton thread: 

1. In skein— 

A. Unbleached. 

28.00 

10.54 


B. Other. 

30.00 

11.29 


2. Other— 

A. Reeled on wooden spool (including spools). 

35.90 

13.52 


B. Other.per cent, .ad val.. 

30 

30 


1 Imported fabrics classified imder Nos. 298, 306, 308,312, 326, and 342, are subject to an internal tax of 10 
per cent ad valorem in addition to the import duties. 



























COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN 


171 


Tariff 

No. 


Rates of duty. 

Articles. 

In yen 

(=49.8 cents). 

In dollars. 



Per 100 kin. 

Per 100 lbs. 

295 

Waste or old fibers, waste yarns, and waste threads. 

Free. 

Free. 

ex296 

Twine, cordage, braids, and plaited ropes, not otherwise provided 
for: 

1. Of cotton. 

18.20 

6.85 

298 

Fabrics of cotton: 

1. Velvets, plushes, and other pile fabrics, with piles cut or un¬ 
cut— 

A. Unbleached. 

25.50 

9.60 


B. Other. 

30.00 

11.29 


2. Fabrics woven with chenille threads.per cent, .ad val.. 

20 

20 


3. Flannels and other napped fabrics.. 

16.00 

6.02 


4. Crapes.per cent..ad val.. 

20 

20 


5. Gauze fabrics. 

36.00 

13.55 


6. Fabrics interwoven with lace.per cent..ad val.. 

20 

20 


7. Plain fabrics, not otherwise provided for— 

A. Unbleached— 

(1) Weighing not more than 5 kilos per 100 square 
meters, and having in a square of 5 mm. side, in 
warp and weft— 

a. 19 threads or less... 

15.30 

5.76 


b. 27 threads or less. 

20.70 

7.79 


c. 35 threads or less. 

28. 70 

10.80 


d. 43 threads or less. 

38.00 

14.31 


e. More than 43 threads. 

51.30 

19.31 


(2) Weighing not more than 10 kilos per 100 square 
meters, and having in a square of 5 mm. side, 
in warp and weft— 

0 . 19 threads or less. 

8.30 

3.12 


6. 27 threads or less. 

10.50 

3.95 


c. 35 threads or less. 

13. 50 

5.08 


d. 43 threads or le.ss. 

16.50 

6.21 


e. More than 43 threads. 

18.70 

7.04 


(3) Weighing not more than 20 kilos per 100 square 
meters, and having in a square of 5 mm. side, 
in warp and weft— 

a. 19 threads or less. 

6.70 

2.45 


b. 27 threads or less. 

8.30 

3.12 


c. 35 threads or less. 

10.50 

3.95 


d. 43 threads or less....... 

13.50 

5.08 


e. More than 43 threads. 

14. 70 

5.53 


(4) Weighing not more than 30 kilos per 100 S(iuare 
meters, and having in a square of 5 mm. side, 
in warp and weft— 

a. 19 threads or less. 

6.00 

2.26 


b. 27 threads or less. 

6. 70 

2.45 


c. 35 threads or less. 

8.00 

3.01 


d. 43 threads or less. 

10. 70 

4.03 


e. More than 43 threads. 

13.30 

5.01 


(5) Other. 

9.30 

3.50 


B. Bleached simply —Dutiable as unbleachedf ibrics, plus... 

C. Other —Dutiable as unbleached fabrics, plus . 

3.00, 

1.13 


7.00 

2.64 


8. Figured or brocaded fabrics, not otherwise provided for— 

A. Unbleached— 

(1) Weighing not more than 5 kilos per 100 square 
meters, and having in a square of 5 mm. side, in 
warp and weft— 

a. 19 threads or less. 

( 

26.00 

9.79 


6. 27 threads or less. 

35.00 

13.18 


c. 35 threads or less. 

47.00 

17.69 


d. 43 threads or less.'. 

65.00 

24.47 


e. More than 43 threads. 

88.00 

33.13 


(2) Weighing not more than 10 kilos jier iOO square 
meters, and having in a square of 5 mm. side, in 
warp and weft— 

a. 19 threads or less. 

14.00 

5.27 


b. 27 threads or less . 

18.00 

6. 78 


c. 35 threads or less . 

22.00 

8.28 


d. 43 threads or less . 

29.00 

10.92 


e. More than 43 threads . 

36.00 

13.55 


(3) Weighing not more than 20 kilos per 100 square 
meters, and having in a square of 5 mm. side, in 
warp and weft — 

a. 27 threads or less . 

17.00 

6.40 


b. 35 threads or less. . . 

21.00 

7.91 


c. 43 threads or less.. 

27.00 

10.16 


d. More than 43 threads. 

1 34.00 

12.80 






























































172 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN 


Tariff 

No. 


Rates of duty. 

Articles. 

In yen 

(=49.8 cents). 

In dollars. 

298 

Fabrics of cotton—Continued. 

8 . Figured or brocaded fabrics, not otherwise provided for— 
Continued. 

A. Unbleached—Continued. 

(4) Weighing not more than 30 kilos per 100 square 
meters, and having in a square of 5 mm. side, in 
warp and weft— 

Per 100 kin. 

Per 100 lbs. 


a. 27 threads or less. 

16.00 

6.02 


b. 35 threads or less. 

20.00 

7.53 


c. 43 threads or less. 

26.00 

9.79 


d. More than 43 threads. 

33.00 

12.42 


(5) Other. 

24.00 

9.04 


B. Bleached simply —Dutiable as unbleached fabrics, plus... 

C. Other —Dutiable as unbleached fabrics, plus . 

3.00 

1.13 


7.00 

2.64 


9. Other— 

A. Unbleached— 

(1) Weighing not more than 5 kilos per 100 square 
meters, and having in a square of 5 mm side, in 
warp and weft— 

a. 19 threads or less..... 

16.00 

6.02 


b. 27 threads or less. 

- 21.30 

8 . 02 


c. 35 threads or less. 

29.30 

11.03 


d. 43 threads or less. 

39.30 

14.80 


e. More than 43 threads. 

53.30 

20.07 


(2) Weighing not more than 10 kilos per 100 square 
meters, and having in a square of 5 mm. side, in 
warp and weft— 

o. 19 threads or less.!. 

8.00 

3.01 


b. 21 threads or less. 

10.00 

3.76 


c. 35 threads or less. 

14.30 

5.38 


d. 43 threads or less. 

18 00 

6 78 


e. More than 43 threads. 

20.00 

7.53 


(3) Weighing not more than 20 kilos per 100 square 
meters, and having in a square of 5 mm. side, in 
warp and weft— 

0 . 27 threads or less. 

8.00 

3.01 


b. 35 threads or less. 

11.30 

4.25 


c. 43 threads or less. 

15.00 

5.65 


d. More than 43 threads. 

18. 80 

7.08 


(4) Weighing not more than 30 kilos per 100 square 
meters, and having in a square of 5 ram. side, in 
warp and weft— 

a. 27 threads or less. 

7.30 

2.75 


b. 35 threads or less. 

8.70 

3. 28 


c. 43 threads or less. 

11.30 

4.25 


d. More than 43 threads. 

14.70 

5.53 


(5) Other. 

10.00 

3.76 


B. Bleached simply —Dutiable as unbleached fabrics plus... 

3.00 

1.13 


C. Other —Dutiable as unbleached fabrics, plus . 

7.00 

2.64 


Cotton fabrics for umbrellas, and unflgured satins, 
dyed, weighing more than 10 and not more than 
20 kUos per 100 square meters, and having in a 
' square of 5 millimeters side, in warp and weft— 

From 28 to 35 threads. 

18.30 

6.89 


From 3G to 43 threads. 

22.00 

8 . 28 

ex306 

Lace fabrics and netted fabrics: 

1. Curtain material— 

A. Of cotton. 

20.00 

7.53 


2. Mosquito netting— 

A. Of cotton..'.. 

78. 80 

29.67 

308 

Embroidered fabrics.per cent ad val.. 

40 

40 

312 

Window hollands. 

30. 70 

, 11.56 

322 

Lamp wicks.per cent ad val.. 

30 

30 

323 

Typewriter ribbons.do_ 

30 

30 

ex324 

Handkerchiefs, single: 

1. Of cotton. 

0 25.90 

o 12.90 

ex325 

Towels, single: 

1. Of cotton. 

.40.00 

15.06 

ex326 

Cotton blankets, single. 

Cotton tablecloths, single. 

25.80 

9. 71 

ex329 

60.00 

22.59 

ex337 

Woven belting for machinery and woven hose: 

1. Of cotton.per cent ad val.. 

25 

25 

342 

Fabrics not otherwise provided for.do_ 

Shirts, shirt fronts, collars, and cuffs. 

30 

30 

345 

134.00 

50.45 

ex346 

Undershirts and drawers: 

1. Knitted— 

A. Of cotton... 

115.00 

43.29 

ex347 

Gloves: 

1. Of cotton. 

226. 00 

85.08 

ex348 

Cotton stockings and socks. 

138.00 

51.95 


a Per 100 dozen. 






























































KNIT-GOODS INDUSTRY AND TRADE 


The knit-goods industry of Japan has been developed mainly 
within the last 10 years, but it is becoming of increasing importance 
in the export trade. The Department of Agriculture and Commerce 
shows the development of this industry since 1904 as follows: 


Y ears. 

Number 
of facto¬ 
ries. 

Employees. 

Total 
value of 
output. 

Males. 

Females. 

Total. 

1905. 

712 

2,817 

2,331 

5,148 

Yen. 

4,314,404 

1906. 

798 

2 ,488 

2', 294 

4,782 

6'799^34 
6,599,518 

1907. 

863 

2'579 

2'571 

5,150 

1908. 

978 

3,'166 

3'015 

6^81 

6,815,541 

1909. 

940 

3'245 

3^07 

6'352 

4,469,900 

8,416,838 

10,324,521 

1910. 

851 

3'387 
3,520 

3'709 

7'096 
7,878 

1911. 

1,053 

4'358 






OUTPUT OF VARIOUS CLASSES OF GOODS. 


The output was divided among the various classes of knit goods as 
follows: 


Years. 

Undershirts. 

Drawers. 

Socks. 

Dozens. 

Value. 

Dozens. 

Value. 

Dozens. 

Value. 

1905 . 

1906 .. 

1907 . 

1908 . 

1909 .. 

1910 . 

1911 . 

906,435 
964,801 
1,190,791 

1,065,489 

/ 949,789 

\ b3,250 

f 1,775,889 
\ bl,625 

( 2,492,653 
\ £>1,530 

Yen. 

2,493,561 
3,277,169 
3,755,536 

4,507,303 

2,272,990 
975 
5,826,049 
4,875 
7,356,496 
4,560 

48,619 
202,171 
147,025 

90,340 

1 66,663 

1 63,415 

1 101,698 

Yen. 

368,470 
1,130,335 
805,571 

366,867 

324,523 

492,193 

584,133 

798,418 
799,735 
749,342 
/ 1,113,725 
\ 0 6,750 

1,193,302 

1,217,985 

1,789,382 

Yen. 

912,330 
679,874 
650,493 
852,950 
540 

1,088,915 

1,170,969 

1,246,418 

Years. 

Gloves. 

Pantaloons. 

Others. 

Total 

value. 

Dozens. 

Value. 

Dozens. 

Value. 

1905 ... 

1906 . 

1907 . 

1908 . 

1909 . 

1910 . 

1911 . 

127,558 
/ 191,930 

\ o 10 

/ 271,652 

\ o 10 

295,179 
287,002 
219,186 
240,037 

Yen. 

235,009 
206,143 

2 

322,962 

2 

309,860 
280,189 
217,209 
253,021 

82,871 
} 62,131 

}■ 80,853 

133,332 
101,579 
118,214 
199,909 

Yen. 

95,902 

104,877 

130,813 

130,324 
133,882 
204,491 
254,099 

Yen. 

209,132 

1,400,734 

934,141 

647,697 
368, 426 
501,052 
625,794 

Yen. 
4,314,404 

6,799,134 

6,599,518 

6,815,541 
4,469,900 
8,416,838 
10,324,521 


a Pairs. 


b Kwan. 


173 






































































174 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


Of the total operatives in 1911, 3,850 were employed around Osaka, 
1,245 around Tokyo, 576 around Hyogo (Kobe), 323 around Moji, 
and 272 around Miyagi. 

As shown by the number of operatives to the factory, most of the 
workshops are very small. They buy their raw materials, mainly 
cotton yarn, from Japanese factories, with a smaller amount of the 
finer yarn from abroad. Recently, however, with the increased 
market found abroad, the Osaka Meriyasu Kaisha (Osaka Knitting 
Co.), with 10,048 spindles, has been started and will make its own 
yarn. The larger portion of the articles produced, in fact over three- 
fourths, is exported, the great bulk being shipped from Osaka. 


EXPORT TRADE. 


According to the customs statistics the exports of knit goods from 
Japan have been as follows: 


Years. 

Knit undershirts and 
drawers. 

Gloves. 

Socks and stockings. 


Dozens. 

Value. 

Dozens. 

Value. 

Dozens. 

Value. 

1882. 

3,186 

Yen. 

5,119 

7,900 

Yen. 

2,127 

4,749 

Yen. 

1,835 

1883. 

3,021 

4,690 

897 

399 

7,664 

2 ; 801 

1884. 

4,335 

7,245 

2,231 

402 

29,835 

5,550 

1885. 

6,180 

9,145 

5,370 

837 

52,490 

8;530 

1886. 

3,479 

5,705 

7,274 

1,919 

24,091 

5,840 

1887. 

2,039 

3,540 

3,548 

2,066 

8,440 

4,434 

1888. 

12,380 

15,649 

16,595 

17,308 

5,286 

42,634 

14,321 

1889. 

14,977 

21,635 
37,037 

5,424 

29,383 

12,995 

1890. 

21,121 

18,007 

6,556 

28, 773 

10, 701 

1891. 

25,170 

37,320 

4,402 

1,840 

46,674 

16,466 

1892.. 

37,254 

54,009 

13, 702 

5,155 

44,867 

15,213 

1893. 

96,305 

132,270 

56,671 

19,091 

119,250 

40,944 

1894. 

100,586 

133,547 

23,949 

9,415 

77,582 

45 ; 255 

1895.. 

76,657 

96,993 

13,777 

6,482 

109,718 

63,319 

1896. 

91,823 

125,032 

11,143 

7,235 

113,106 

53,020 

1897. 

55,803 

76,337 

7,873 

6,536 

71,917 

43 ; 346 

1898. 

103,280 

138,578 

9,901 

7,847 
10,123 

107,696 

60 ; 007 

1899. 

174,860 

230, 497 

13,363 

188,229 

112,436 

1900. 

177,291 

235,056 

14,678 

13,766 

158,708 

121,012 

1901. 

154,310 

265,362 

43,554 

44,286 
35,890 

213,323 

140,084 

1902.;. 

213,974 

324,430 

42,342 

206,570 

137,433 

1903. 

611,076 

785,697 
1,506,713 

23,270 

24,396 

259,047 

176,965 

1904. 

1,066,558 

48,700 

56,652 

304, 770 

194,606 

1905. 

1,048, 796 

1,681,654 
2,563,972 

81,800 
79,878 

111,686 

398,873 

275,865 

1906. 

1,494,546 
2,260,229 

117, 769 

705,371 

646', 050 

1907. 

3, 709,928 

113, 733 

127,089 

720,385 

662,492 

1908. 

1,938,405 

3,105,796 

142,368 

156,861 

678,224 
932,983 

691,458 

1909. 

2,542,566 

3,733,900 

112,036 

118,916 

832,722 

1910. 

4,220,744 

6,011,532 
5,586,736 

157,407 

146,491 

1,326,458 

979 ;518 

1911. 

3,727, 432 

214,597 
314,828 

178,977 

1,459,371 

1,096,178 

1912. 

4, 446,102 

7,359,960 

318,788 

1,718, 794 

1,388,463 


In 1904 underwear was first divided as to “knit^^ and ^^all others,’’ 
while since 1906 hosiery has been divided into socks and stockings 
for boots and shoes” and ^^all others.” The material of which the 
gloves and hosiery above listed are made is not stated, but they are 
mainly of cotton. 

The rise of the knit-goods exports to a trade of some importance 
has been the work of the last decade and the present tendency is 
toward a still more rapid increase. 

















































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN 


175 


DISTRIBUTION OF EXPORTS IN 1890. 

The exports of knit goods in 1890 were distributed as follows: 


Countries. 

Undershirts and 
drawers. 

Gloves. 

Socks. 

Dozens. 

Value. 

Dozens. 

Value. 

Dozens. 

Value. 

Hongkong. 

China. 

Korea.;. 

Russia. 

British India. 

9,558 

11,175 

98 

86 

Yen. 
19,864 
16,117 
254 
189 

3,452 
' 14,397 

120 
32 

6 

Yen. 

1,017 

5,368 

96 

21 

54 

22,568 

4,394 

752 

1,021 

25 

13 

Yen. 

7,542 

1,606 

655 

837 

44 

17 

Other countries. 

204 

613 

Total. 



21,121 

37,037 

18,007 

. 6,556 

28,773 

10,701 


Favored by steamship connections, Hongkong was at that time the 
best market for Japanese knit goods, as well as for Japanese cotton 
piece goods. 


CHANGES IN TRADE IN 1910. 


The exports in 1900 were distributed as follows: 


Countries. 

Undershirts and 
and drawers. 

Gloves 

Socks and stockings. 

Dozens. 

Value. 

Dozens. 

Va-ue. 

Dozens. 

Value. 

British India. 

Hongkong. 

China. 

Russia. 

Korea. 

other countries. 

Total. 

110,951 

41,835 

13,260 

7,421 

1,339 

2,485 

Yen. 

101,982 

49,090 

40,526 

30,424 

7,265 

5,769 

190 

6,230 

4,271 

949 

2,934 

104 

Yen. 

95 

5,361 

4,311 

1,012 

2,881 

106 

6,327 

58,252 

23,572 

31,513 

36,914 

2,130 

Yen. 
2,081 
19,614 
14,153 
33,190 
49,742 
2,232 

177,291 

235,056 

14,678 

13,766 

158,708 

121,012 


By 1900 the main outlet for underwear had been found in British 
India, though with direct sales to Korea after the Chinese War that 
country became the chief purchaser of hosiery. 






















































176 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


DEVELOPMENT OF EXPORT TRADE IN RECENT YEARS. 


How the trade has developed and widened since is shown by the 
list of the countries taking these articles in 1912, as follows: 


Knit undershirts and 
drawers. 


Gloves. 


Socks and stockings. 


Countries. 


Dozens. 


Value. 


Dozens. 


Value 


Dozens. 


Value. 


British India. 

Hongkong. 

China. 

Philippines. 

Kwantung Province... 

Dutch Indies. 

United Kingdom. 

Straits Settlements. 

Australia. 

Cape Colony and Natal 

Egypt. 

Turkey. 

French Indo-China..... 

Germany. 

Siam. 

Italy. 

France. 

United States. 

Asiatic Russia. 

Peru. 

Other countries. 


2,712,641 
532,565 
163,526 
262,201 
52,007 
303,695 
70,920 
99,321 
44,948 
44,753 
30,307 
15,865 
10,694 
9,108 
9,919 
6,525 
3,687 
2,259 
1,523 
1,124 
68,514 


Yen. 

3,983,616 
984,193 
662,811 
509,807 
259,691 
290,319 
130,539 
127,349 
89,441 
73,498 
37,831 
27,972 
17,480 
15,200 
12,794 
6,699 
6,222 
4,992 
3,827 
2,605 
113,074 


620 
33,113 
213,124 


Yen. 

532 
23,290 
224,895 


253,042 
232,949 
791,787 
32,517 
166,310 
23,852 
2,290 
33,485 
1,100 
1,799 
69,550 
32,051 
96 
2,702 
6,311 
13,590 
8,163 
1,088 
9,890 
5,645 
30,577 


Yen. 

105,695 
104,444 
709,973 
23,813 
187,417 
16,556 
1,986 
30,603 
6,451 
2,436 
44,183 
23,306 
183 
.1,970 
6,235 
8,913 
5,331 
1,458 
10,318 
5,068 
32,124 


57,859 

60,013 



70 

37 

49 

263 









5 

8 





10,000 

9,728 


10 


Total 
Chosen. 


4,446,102 
38,833 


7,359,960 
156,442 


314,828 
44,948 


318,788 
42,142 


1,718,794 
180,840 


1,388,463 
259,202 - 


The figures for Chosen are shown for contrast. As this trade is 
now classed as domestic commerce, the exports thereto are not 
included in the total. 

Of the socks and stockings exported in 1912, 1,674,629 dozens, 
valued at 1,305,932 yen, were classed as socks and stockings for boots 
and shoes, and 44,165 dozens, valued at 82,531 yen, as other socks 
and stockings. The Japanese wear cloth socks, with a place made 
for the big toe; knitted socks are used only by those wdio adopt 
European costume and wear boots or shoes. The two items have 
been lumped in the above statistics to afford a comparison with sta¬ 
tistics previously given, as they were not listed separately until 1907. 

Knitted underwear finds its best market in British India, Hong¬ 
kong, China, the Philijipine Islands, Kwantung Province, and Dutch 
India; socks and stockings in China, Kwantung Province, British 
India, and Hongkong; and knitted gloves mamly in China. 






















































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN 


177 


IMPORT TRADE. 

The imports of cotton undershirts and drawers, gloves, and socks 
and stockings into Japan are officially recorded as follows: 


Years. 

Knit undershirts 
and drawers. 

Gloves. 

Socks and stock¬ 
ings. 


Dozens. 

Value. 

Dozens. 

Value. 

Dozens. 

Value. 

18S2. 

6,116 

Yen. 

24,505 

13,827 

Yen. 

20,225 

7,964 

Yen. 

12,150 

1883... 

10,735 

44,423 

16,427 

16,200 

10,736 

14,967 

1884. 

4,449 

17,229 

32,831 

30,669 

21;740 

15,989 

1885. 

9,442 

36,777 

61,951 

43,998 

22,308 

17,283 

1886. 

7,501 

24,844 

57,947 

64,322 

38,788 

26,002 

1887. 

13,635 

47,811 

7,098 

2,066 

76,074 

55 ; 247 

1888. 

14,020 

12,298 

56,538 

13,428 

34,568 

18,222 

32,962 

1889. 

52,114 

13,842 

33,872 

16,416 

35,340 

1890. 

11,156 

48,150 

17,217 

48,347 

18; 004 

34,536 

1891. 

14,369 
9,025 

61,046 

6,354 

20,108 

6; 913 

13 ;077 

1892. 

37,961 
24,193 

5,101 

20;587 

3,507 

8,152 

1893. 

4,935 

7,987 

35,008 

6,422 

14', 727 

1894. 

3,040 

17,855 

3,098 

20,508 

4,676 

11,483 

1895.*. 

4,536 

27,123 

5,682 

4i;095 

4,799 

16,555 

1896. 

6,175 

39,124 

10,032 

53,683 

14,251 

40,752 

1897. 

6,756 

41,817 

6,658 

37,441 

8,494 

23 ;685 

1898. 

5,341 

32,669 

9,690 

50,286 

16,384 

44,043 

1899. 

3,016 

22,035 

16,575 

68,245 

12,558 

38,252 

1900. 

6,800 

50,773 

16,185 

96,259 

24,289 

72,741 

1901.:. 

7,088 

58,199 

14,409 

67,288 

21,5.32 

61,267 

1902. 

5,332 

47,633 

13,672 

73,150 

13,118 

36,606 

1903. 

10,225 

92,652 

139,097 

9,117 

37,026 

19,633 

50,936 

1904. 

14,059 

16,344 

58,198 

25,432 

73 ; 695 

1905. 

22,012 

215,350 

42,980 

141,673 

39,722 

101 ;049 

1906. 

23,274 

7,675 

222,188 

52,284 

142,669 

44,446 

102 ;222 

1907. 

67,273 

11,953 
18,836 

56,324 

21,921 

73 ; 067 

1908. 

4,475 

3,036 

44,307 

104,105 

18,244 

67,862 

1909. 

27,780 

15,744 

78,080 

20,111 

60,193 

1910. 

4,025 

36,769 

16,020 

78,239 

21,071 

62,935 

1911. 

3,720 

34,707 

15,207 

100,254 

20,172 

77,387 

1912. 

2,933 

27,707 

15,006 

80,137 

10,237 

4i;876 


The imports of gloves above given were listed until 1903 sunply 
as ‘‘gloves” and thereafter as ‘‘gloves other than leather.” The 
material of either the gloves or the hosiery is not specified, but most 
of them have undoubtedly been of cotton. 


FLUCTUATIONS IN IMPORTS. 

The largest imports of knit goods were at the time of the Russian 
War, but with the increased tariff in 1906 and the larger home manu¬ 
facture the imports dropped sharply, and the tariff of 1911, which 
made especially high rates on knit goods, has further accentuated the 
decline. The imports of these articles in 1890, 1900, and 1912 are 
shown in the table following. 

48895°—14-12 

























































178 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN 


Countries. 

Undershirts and 
drawers. 

Gloves. 

Socks. 

Dozens. 

Value. 

Dozens. 

Value. 

Dozens. 

Value. 

1890. 

United Kingdom. 

Germany. 

France. 

United States. 

8,568 
1,057 
481 

Yen. 
38,956 
3.819 
1,214 

12,253 
4,565 
181 
20 
198 

Yen. 

38,746 
7,910 
853 
70 
768 

14,895 

2,345 

423 

4 

337 

Yen. 
29,411 
4,617 
261 
38 
209 

Other countries. 

Total. 

1900. 

United Kingdom. 

Germany. 

France. 

United States. 

Other countries. 

Total. 

1912. 

United Kingdom. 

Germany. 

France. 

United States.. 

Other countries. 

1,050 

4 161 

11,156 

48,150 

17,217 

48,347 

18,004 

34.536 

5,405 
1,172 
57 
164 

2 

41,115 
7,239 
366 
2,034 
19 

8,742 
6.786 
219 
20 
418 

63,915 
26,740 
2,163 
192 
3,249 

10,529 
12,477 
778 
147 
358 

42,682 
26,172 
2,458 
680 
749 

6,800 

50,773 

16,185 

96,259 

24,289 

72, 741 

2,707 

127 

75 

21 

3 

25,149 
1,485 
777 
270 
26 

1,433 
13.430 

3 

31 

109 

9,435 
69,560 

4 

. 681 
457 

6,962 
3,242 

3 

30 

32,331 
9,364 
20 
161 

Total.. 



2,933 

27,707 

15,006 

80,137 

10,237 

41,876 


There was an increase in the imports during the Russian War 
period, but they have decreased since until they are now less than they 
were in 1900. With the tariff raised, and Japan increasing its ex¬ 
ports, there is no future in this line. 















































RESUME OF COTTON-GOODS TRADE. 


The following table gives the* value of the import and export trade 
of Japan in cotton and its manufactures in 1912: 


Articles. 


IMPOETS. 

Cotton: 

In the seed. 

G inned. 

Yarn. 

Thread. 

Piece goods. 

Handkerchiefs, single. 

Undershirts and drawers, knitted. 

Gloves, other than leather «. 

Stockings and socks «... . 

Woven belting for machinery and woven hose « 

Total. 


EXPORTS. 

Yarn. 

Thread. 

Wadding. 

Waste cotton and waste-cotton yarn. 

Piece goods b . 

Undershirts and drawers: 

Cotton, knit. 

Cotton crapes. 

Cotton flannels. 

Cotton netting. 

Gloves «.'.. 

Socks and stockings:« 

For boots and shoes. 

Other. 

Total. 


Value. 


Yen. 

Dollars. 

1,889,461 
198,934,743 
630,732 
367,060 
9,546,048 
32,460 
27,707 
80,137 
41,876 
295,202 

940,951 
99,069,502 
314,105 
182,796 
4,753,932 
16,165 
13,798 
39,908 
20,854 
147,011 

211,845,426 

105,499,022 

53,680,746 
126,554 
252,744 
527,006 
28,146,710 

26,733,012 
63,024 
125,867 
262,449 
14,017,062 

7,359,960 
249,473 
4.5,639 
73,291 
318,788 

3,665, 260 
124,238 
22,728 
36,498 
158,756 

1,305,932 
82,531 

650,354 

41,100 

92,169,374 

45,900,348 


a Material not stated specifically but chiefly of cotton. 
b Including towels, handkerchiefs, and blankets of cotton. 


IMPOSTANCE OF COTTON GOODS IN FOREIGN TRADE. 


The total import trade of Japan in 1912 amounted to 618,992,277 
yen ($308,258,154), of which the imports of cotton and its manu¬ 
factures accounted for 34.22 per cent. Of the total export trade in 
1912 amounting to 526,981,842 yen ($262,436,957), exports of manu¬ 
factured cotton and waste accounted for 17.49 per cent. 

Raw cotton is the main article imported into Japan. By far the 
largest export is raw silk, but next to this is cotton yarn. The value 
of the silk tissues exported in 1912 was 30,100,979 yen, or, adding 
4,711,966 yen of silk handkerchiefs, a total of 34,812,945 yen 
($17,336,847), which exceeds the exports of cotton tissues, though 
less than that of cotton yarn. 


179 





































180 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


ITEMS NOT LISTED AS COTTON GOODS. 

In addition to the imports of cotton shown above there was also 
imported 39,176 yen ($19,511) of ^‘stockinet and similar knitted 
tissues,” of which a good portion was of cotton. There was also 
exported 97,484 yen ($48,547) of ‘‘shirts, stiffened,” and 124,545 yen 
($fe,023) of collars and cuffs, of which the majority were certainly 
cotton. Listed among the piece goods in the above table were 
442,298 pieces valued at 158,705 yen of “Japanese toweling, plain 
weaves” (tenuguiji), but towels made from such material were not 
shown; the exports of “Japanese towels” in 1912 amounted to 
140,517 dozen, valued at 70,538 yen ($35,128). 

The Japanese make a considerable amount of velvet, which they 
weave with wires on hand looms, and much of this is also of cotton. 
After weaving, much of this velvet is stamped with patterns of 
temples or other objects and then cut into parts; and “cut velvet” 
kakemonas and wall hangings are quite a feature of the tourist trade. 

When at Belfast ^ I reported the fact that the Irish hand embroid¬ 
ery experienced increasing competition from Japanese hand em¬ 
broidery. In addition to the regular hand embroidery, which is 
made partly on linen or half linens imported from Ireland and partly 
on cotton cloths, the Japanese are very skillful at making hand- 
embroidered pictures. They will copy a picture, say Rosa Bon- 
heur’s “Horse Fair,” a rural scene, a forest fire, a picture of a dog, a 
rooster, or even a man’s photograph by needle work only, and by 
using thread of various sizes and colors and skillful blending make 
such an exact imitation that in many cases one has to look closely to 
determine if it is a hand-embroidered picture or an oil painting. This 
also is a great feature of the tourist trade, and large amounts of such 
work and of the cut velvets and other similar textiles are sold that do 
not figure in the customs returns. 


1 “ Flax, Hemp, and Jute Industries in the United Kingdom," Special Agents Series No. 74,1913. 


I 



TEXTILE FABRIC LAW OF JAPAN. 


The textile fabric law was established in 1905 as an extraordinary 
levy to help meet war expenses, and was revised in 1910. By its 

P rovisions each wholesaler on buying from the mill or on importing 
as to pay 10 per cent of the value of the goods to the Government, 
and, of course, he passes this tax on to the consumer. Goods destined 
for export are free of this tax; but it is such a burden on the home 
trade that there is continued agitation for its repeal. At present, 
however, it does not seem that the Government can spare the rev¬ 
enue it brings in. This law causes a considerable difference in the 
prices quoted for home and for foreign trade, as previously shown, 
and it has such an important effect on the cotton trade in general 
that it is given in full: 

TEXTILE FABRIC TAX LAW. 

ARTICLE I. The consumption tax is imposed on textile fabrics according to the 
provisions of the present law. 

Art. II. The rate of the consumption tax is fixed at 10 per cent of the value of textile 
fabrics. 

Art. III. The undermentioned textile fabrics are exempted from the consumption 
tax by order; 

1. Textile fabrics or'articles made of textile fabrics, exported to foreign countries, 
or intended for export to foreign countries; 

2. Textile fabrics manufactured for the use of the manufacturers themselves or of the 
manufacturers’ families; 

In case textile fabrics, or articles made of them, on which the consumption tax has 
been duly paid, are exported to foreign countries the sum corresponding to the amount 
of the tax paid shall be refunded. 

Art. IV. The consumption tax shall be paid at the time of taking delivery of textile 
fabrics from the place of manufacture, customhouse, or bonded warehouse, by persons 
who take delivery of the same. The payment of the consumption tax can be substi¬ 
tuted by declaring the value of the article and affixing due stamps on the article by 
the manufacturers as required by law. In such cases the manufacturers are regarded 
as persons who take delivery of the goods. In affixing the stamps for the consumption 
tax a fraction of 1 sen is calculated as 1 sen. 

Art. V. The collection of the consumption tax may be postponed for a period within 
three months, provided a security of the value corresponding to the amount of the con¬ 
sumption tax is deposited. 

Art. VI. When the consumption tax has been duly paid, or a security of the value 
corresponding to the amount of the consumption tax has been deposited, a seal, or a 
note, attesting the payment of the tax is stamped on, or affixed to, the textile fabrics, 
on request. 

Art. VII. In the undermentioned cases textile fabrics can be taken over without 
paying the consumption tax as required by law: 

I. When textile fabrics are taken over from a manufactory, in order to transmit 
them to other manufactories, or to store them in warehouses. 

2. When textile fabrics are taken over from a manufactory, or warehouse, for the 
purpose of dyeing, printing, or doing other work to them; 

3. When textile fabrics are taken over from a manufactory or warehouser, for the 
payment of the consumption tax, which is to be made at a fixed place designated by 
the Govermnent. 

In the above-mentioned cases the destination of the goods is regarded as the place 
of manufacture and the persons engaged in the business at the said place are regarded as 
manufacturers. 


181 


182 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


Art. VIII. In case textile fabrics, which were once taken over from a manufactory 
with the consLunption tax duly paid, are again taken back to the manufactory, the 
consumption tax is not collected when taking delivery of the textile fabrics in question 
from the manufactory, provided a Government certificate be given specifying their 
kind and quantity. 

Art. IX. Persons who take delivery of textile fabrics from manufactories, custom¬ 
houses, or bonded warehouses, shall send in to the Government a statement of the 
value of the said textile fabrics at the time of delivery, excepting the cases referred to 
in clause 2 of Article IV and in Article VII. In case they fail to send in the said state¬ 
ment, or in case the value given in the statement is thought wrong, the Government 
may appraise the goods in question and determine their value. When persons taking 
delivery of textile fabrics object to the appraised value referred to, they can file protests 
to that end without delay. In such cases the Government will appoint more than two 
appraisers and decide the value according to their opinions. In case the difference 
between the value held by the objector and that determined by the Government is 
greater than the difference between the value appraised by the Government, referred 
to in the foregoing clause, and that finally determined by the Government according 
to the opinions of appraisers, the cost involved in the judgment shall be borne by the 
objector. 

When the declared value of textile fabrics with stamps affixed thereon is considered 
inadequate, the Government shall estimate their value and collect the consumption 
tax due on the balance of the value. In this case the provisions of the foregoing 
clauses apply mutatis mutandis. 

Art. X. Except the cases falling within the purview of Articles V and VII, textile 
fabrics can not be taken over from manufactories, customhouses, or bonded warehouses, 
before the payment of the consumption tax. 

Art. XI. Except the cases falling within the purview of Articles V and VII, the 
manufacturers of textile fabrics can not hand over to others textile fabrics before the 
payment of the consumption tax. 

Art. XII. Persons wishing to manufacture textile fabrics or sell them shall apply 
to the Government to that end. This, however, does not apply to the manufacture of 
textile fabrics coming within the purview of (2) Article III. 

Art. XIII. Persons engaged in the manufacture of textile fabrics are not allowed 
to carry on, at one and the same place, the sale of textile fabrics, and the manufacture 
of the articles with textile fabrics as raw material thereof. This, however, does not 
apply to the cases where the manufactory of textile fabrics is established separately 
from the place of the sale of the same, or from the manufactory of the manufactures 
with textile fabrics as the raw material thereof, with permission of the Government. 

Art. XIV. Persons engaged in the manufacture or sale of textile fabrics, or in the 
manufacture of the articles referred to in the preceding article, shall provide books and 
enter in them the particulars about the manufacture, purchase, and sale, of textile 
fabrics, or the manufactures made of textile fabrics. 

Art. XV. The revenue officials have the right to visit the manufactories, places of 
sale of textile fabrics, or the manufactories of the articles referred to in Article XIII, 
and examine textile fabrics, articles made of textile fabrics, tools, machinery, build¬ 
ings, or books and other business papers. The revenue officials can put seals on the 
above-mentioned articles, etc., when they consider it necessary to do so for their 
control. 

Art. XVI. The revenue officials have the right to examine textile fabrics in the 
course of transportation, or make inquiries as to the place of consignment and desti¬ 
nation. In this case the revenue officials can also suspend their transportation or put 
seals on the goods, or vessels or carriages on which they are carried, when such is 
thought necessary for the execution of their duties. 

Art. XVII. Each of the undermentioned cases shall be punished with a fine of 
the amount corresponding to three times the amount of the consumption tax due, in 
addition to the consumption tax, which shall be collected without delay. In case, 
however, the consumption tax does not exceed 4 yen the amount of the fine is fixed 
at 20 yen. 

1. When textile fabrics have been manufactured without applying to the Govern¬ 
ment, except in cases falling under the provisions of Article XII. 

2. Vffien textile fabrics or manufactures thereof, which were exempted from the 
consumption tax, being originally intended for export to foreign countries, have been 
consumed in Japan, or have been sold for domestic consumption. 

3. When textile fabrics have been consumed before the consumption tax is paid, 
or before a security for the payment of the consumption tax is deposited. 

4. When textile fabrics taken delivery of according to the provisions of Article VII 
are not transported to the places where they were to be transported. 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


183 


5. Violations of the regulations provided in Articles X and XI. 

Art. XVIII. Each of the undermentioned cases is punished with a fine varying 
between 3 yen and 30 yen. 

1. Violations of the regulations of Article XIII. 

2. When the manufacturers or sellers of the textile fabrics, or the manufacturers 
or sellers of articles referred to in the provisions of Article XIII do not provide books 
concerning the manufacture, purchase, or sale, of textile fabrics or manufactures 
thereof, or make false entries, or neglect to make entries in those books. 

3. When those persons fail to declare the value of textile fabrics or to affix due stamps 
to them, as required by law. 

4. When those persons object to the revenue officials performing their duty. 

In the case of Paragraph I, however, when textile fabrics have been used as raw 
materials in the manufacture of other goods the provisions of the preceding article 

Art. XIX. The reduction or remission of punishment provided in the Criminal 
Law and the provisions of clause 2 of article 48 of the Criminal Law are not applicable 
to violations of the present law, or to orders issued in accordance with the provisions 
of the present law. 

Art. XX. In case the manufacturers or sellers of textile fabrics, or the manufac¬ 
turers of the articles referred to in the provisions of Article XIII, are minors, or per¬ 
sons interdicted from the management of their property, the penal regulations appli¬ 
cable to such persons according to the present law, or the orders issued in accordance 
with its provisions apply to their legal (statutory) representatives. This, however, 
does not apply to minors possessing the same faculty as adults in the management of 
business. 

Art. XXI. In case the representatives, the head or members of the family, inmates 
of the house, employees, or other persons engaged in the business, of the manufac¬ 
turers, or sellers of textile fabrics, or the manufacturers of the articles referred to in the 
provisions of Article XIII, violate the present law, or the orders issued in accordance 
with its provisions, the manufacturers, or sellers of the textile fabrics, or the manu¬ 
facturers of the articles referred to in the provisions of Article XIII, are subject to the 
punishment provided therefor. 

REGULATIONS FOR EXECUTION OF TEXTILE FABRIC TAX LAW. 

Article I. The terms “manufacturers” and “persons making others manufacture 
textile fabrics” in the present law do not imply those who manufacture textile fabrics 
only for their own use, or for the use of their families. 

Art. II. Persons wishing to manufacture textile fabrics shall state the locations of 
their manufactories and the kinds of textile fabrics they wish to manufacture, and send 
in statements to that effect to the revenue offices in whose jurisdiction their manufac¬ 
tories are located. 

Persons who wish to sell textile fabrics at a fixed place of sale shall send in appli¬ 
cations to the revenue offices of the district where their places of sale are located. 

Persons who wish to sell textile fabrics at a fixed place of sale shall send in applica¬ 
tions to the revenue offices of the places where their domiciles are located. 

Art. III. A manufactory, although it covers separate lots of land, can be regarded 
as one and the same factory. 

Art. IV. The revenue offices concerned, in case of necessity, may order the manu¬ 
facturers of textile fabrics to produce the plans of their factory buildings, or the in¬ 
ventory of tools and machinery used in the manufacture of textile fabrics. 

Art. V. When textile fabric manufactories are removed, the matter shall be notified 
to the revenue offices of the places to which they are to be removed. 

Persons engaged in the sale of textile fabrics at fixed places of sale, when removing 
their shops to other places, shall notify the revenue offices of the places to which they 
have removed. 

Persons engaged in the sale of textile fabrics without having fixed places of sale, 
when removing their residences to other places, shall notify the revenue offices of the 
places to which they have removed. 

Art. VI. When the manufacturers of textile fabrics engage in the manufacture of 
the same for a fixed period of time, they shall previously give notice to the revenue 
offices concerned of the period of commencement and completion of manufacture. 

Art. VII. Any change taking place in the matters notified to the competent au¬ 
thorities according to the provisions of Articles II and VI, or a change in the plans, 
or in the inventory, produced according to the regulations of Article IV, shall be noti¬ 
fied to the revenue offices concerned. 


184 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


Art. VIII. Persons who have succeeded to the manufacture, or the sale, of textile 
fabrics, shall notify the revenue offices concerned to that effect. Persons who have 
handed over to others the manufacture, or sale, of textile fabrics, shall notify the rev¬ 
enue offices concerned to that effect, the notification to be countersigned by the suc¬ 
cessors to the business. 

Art. IX. When the manufacturers, or sellers, of textile fabrics want to discontinue 
their business, they shall give notice of the fact to the revenue office concerned. 

Art. X. Persons who wish to have remitted the consumption tax on textile fabrics, 
or on articles made of textile fabrics, which are to be exported to foreign countries, 
shall obtain certificates from the revenue offices concerned each time they take deliv¬ 
ery of such textile fabrics from the manufactories. In the case of manufactories which 
manufacture only textile fabrics intended for export to foreign countries, the afore¬ 
mentioned proceeding can be omitted, provided the revenue offices concerned permit 
it as unobjectionable in the way of their control. The same applies to the case of manu¬ 
factories of textile fabrics, which are remanufactured into different articles and ex¬ 
ported to foreign countries. 

In the above-mentioned cases the conditions laid down by the revenue offices con¬ 
cerned, respecting the transportation or storing of textile fabrics or manufactures 
thereof, and other matters, shall be strictly observed. Otherwise the consumption 
tax will not be remitted. 

Art. XI. Persons who export to foreign countries textile fabrics, or articles made of 
them, for which they have paid the consim^tion tax, and who wish to recover the 
amount so paid, shall apply to the custom offices of the port through which the goods 
are to be exported, the applications to be accompanied with evidence certifying the 
payment of the consumption tax. When such goods are exported by mail the said 
applications shall be made to the revenue offices to whose jurisdictions they belong. 

Persons who wish to recover money thus paid shall previously apply to that end 
to the custom offices of the ports of export at the value corresponding to the amount 
of the consumption tax, to which they shall obtain the acknowledgment of the revenue 
offices concerned. In this case the provisions of the foregoing article apply mutatis 
mutandis. 

Art. XII.' In case persons who have deposited a security of the value corresponding 
to the amount of the consumption tax wish to have remitted the consumption tax on 
textile fabrics, or articles made of them, on account of the goods being exported to 
foreign countries, they shall apply to the revenue offices concerned to that end, pro¬ 
ducing at the same time evidence certifying the exportation of the said textile fabrics, 
or of articles made of them. In this case the last provision of the preceding article 
applies mutatis mutandis. 

Art. XIII. In case the manufacturers of textile fabrics wish to have remitted the 
consumption tax on textile fabrics intended for their own use, or for the use of their 
families, they shall obtain certificates from the revenue offices concerned. 

Art. XIV. Persons who wish to take delivery of textile fabrics according to the 
provisions of Article VII of the Textile Fabric Consumption Tax Law, shall apply 
to and obtain certificates from the revenue offices concerned. In this case the last 
provision of Article X of the present law applies mutatis mutandis. 

Art. XV. Statements pertaining to the value referred to in the first provision of 
Article IX of the Textile Fabric Consumption Tax Law shall be sent in to the revenue 
offices concerned. 

Art. XVI. Persons who wish to substitute the payment of the consumption tax by 
affixing due stamps on textile fabrics according to the provisions of Article IV of the 
Textile Fabric Consumption Tax Law, shall apply to the revenue offices concerned 
to that end and obtain their permission. 

Art. XVII. On textile fabrics shall be affixed labels with the price of the textile 
fabrics declared and also the addresses and names of their manufacturers, or with the 
names of textile fabrics inscribed thereon, and on those labels the proper amount of 
stamps shall be pasted. The stamps shall then be canceled with seals partly covering 
the printed part of the stamps and partly the labels affixed. 

Art. XVIII. Vffien the consumption tax has been paid, or a security of the value 
corresponding to the amount of the tax has been deposited, the matter shall be notified 
to the revenue offices concerned. In this case the revenue authorities concerned shall 
affix tickets to, or mark with stamps on, the textile fabrics or the labels attached to 
them, certifying the payment of the consumption tax. In case anyone wants to do 
additional work to textile fabrics which have been marked with stamps, or affixed 
with tickets certifying the payment of the consumption tax in accordance with the 
foregoing provision by the revenue authorities concerned, he may apply to the au¬ 
thorities to have the goods marked with new stamps or affixed new tickets, on the 
completion of the additional work. 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


185 


Art. XIX, In the places where a revenue treasury is not established, or in the 
hours after the closing of the treasury, the revenue officials are authorized to receive 
the payment of the consumption tax. 

Art. XX. The securities are limited to cash or to negotiable bonds recognized as 
reliable by the revenue authorities concerned. Persons who produce such securities 
shall deposit them in banks and produce the receipts for the deposited securities to 
the revenue authorities concerned. 

_ Art. XXI When the price of the negotiable bonds deposited as securities depre¬ 
ciates, the revenue authorities concerned may order the depositor to produce further 
securities sufficient to make up the shortage. If persons who have received such 
order fail to produce the required securities the revenue authorities concerned shall at 
once levy the consumption tax due. 

Art. XXII. In case the consumption tax has been duly paid in, or remission has 
been granted on the payment of the tax, on textile fabrics for which proper securities 
were produced^ the revenue authorities concerned shall take steps to return the de¬ 
posited securities to the depositor. 

Art. XXIII. When the payment of the consumption tax becomes due, the securities 
deposited are appropriated to its payment. In the above-mentioned case the securities 
will be put up for public auction and the proceeds will be appropriated to the expenses 
of the auction and to the payment of the consumption tax due. In such cases shortage, 
or surplus, shall be collected from, or returned to, the payers of the tax. 

Art. XXIV. The manufacturers of textile fabrics, or those articles mentioned in 
the proviso of Article XIII of the Textile Fabric Consumption Tax Law, shall enter in 
their books the following matters: 

1. Kinds and quantity of raw material; date of delivery and the address, or name, 
of the deliverer (this applying to the case of textile fabrics taken over from others). 

2. Kinds and quantity of raw material used in the manufacture, and the date of its 
use. 

3. Kinds and quantity of the manufactured goods, and the date of manufacture. 

4. Kinds, quantity, and value of the goods delivered to others; the date of delivery; 
the addresses and the names of the persons who took delivery of the goods. 

Art. XXV. Persons engaged in the sale of textile fabrics shall enter in their books 
the following matters: 

1. Kinds, quantity, and value of the goods taken over; the date of delivery; the ad¬ 
dresses and names of the deliverers. 

2. Kinds, quantity, and value of the goods sold; the date of sale; and the addresses 
and names of purchasers. In the case of retail trade the addresses and names of pur¬ 
chasers need not be mentioned. 

Art. XXVI. The statements or applications to be made to the revenue offices con¬ 
cerned according to the provisions of the present law may be made to the revenue offi¬ 
cials, who visit the manufactories for the execution of their duties. In such case the 
matter shall be informed to the revenue offices concerned. The acknowledgments 
given by these officials possess the same validity as those given by the revenue offices 
concerned. 

Art. XXVII. The revenue officials shall not divulge matters relating to the busi¬ 
ness of the manufacturers or sellers of textile fabrics, or of the articles falling under 
the proviso of Article XIII of the Textile Fabric Consumption Tax Law, which have 
come to their knowledge in the execution of their official duties. 

Art. XXVIII. Of the matters belonging to the functions of revenue offices pro¬ 
vided in the present regulations, those dealing with textile fabrics delivered from 
the customhouses or bonded warehouses, are transacted by the custom offices. 



OPERATIVES AND WAGES. 

WAGES AND PRODUCTION IN SPINNING MILLS. 


The following statistics are given by the Japanese Government for 
all the cotton spinning mills: 


Years. 

Daily aver¬ 
age of 
working 
spindles. 

Yam pro¬ 
duced. 

Annual 

work¬ 

ing 

days. 

Daily 

work¬ 

ing 

hours. 

Average daily operatives. 

Average daily 
wages. 

Males. 

Females. 

Total. 

Males. 

Females. 



Kwan. 






Sen. 

Sen. 

1888. 

113,856 

1,593,103 

314 

22 

1,204 

2,199 

3,403 

17.0 

8.0 

1889. 

215,190 

3,358,042 

302 

23 

2,539 

5,391 

7,930 

17.1 

8.1 

1890. 

277,895 

5,132,588 

• 294 

21 

4,089 

10,330 

14,419 

17.0 

8.2 

1891. 

353,980 

7,689,938 

265 

19 

4,051 

14,216 

18,267 

17.7 

8.3 

1892. 

385,314 

9,977,208 

296 

22 

6,354 

18,878 

25,232 

17.4 

8.9 

1893. 

381,781 

10,666,744 

297 

21 

6,164 

19,284 

25,448 

17.4 

9.4 

1894. 

476,123 

14,620,008 

277 

22 

8,229 

26,923 

35,152 

17.1 

8.9 

1895. 

518,736 

18,437,011 

297 

22 

9,650 

31,140 

40,790 

18.0 

9.9 

1896. 

692,384 

20,585,485 

294 

22 

11,394 

36,087 

47,481 

19.7 

12.0 

1897. 

768,328 

26,134,120 

284 

19 

9,933 

35,059 

44,992 

22.9 

13.6 

1898. 

1,027,817 

32,163,239 

293 

20 

16,183 

50,620 

66,803 

24.8 

14.9 

1899. 

1,170,327 

43,052,402 

307 

19 

16,445 

57,540 

73,985 

26.6 

16.4 

1900. 

1,144,027 

32,419,641 

303 

18 

12,262 

43,760 

56,022 

31.0 

19.3 

1901. 

1,181,762 

33,115,829 

317 

19 

13,481 

49,540 

63,021 

31.7 

20.6 

1902. 

1,301,118 

38,458,947 

315 

21 

14,375 

57,513 

71,888 

32.3 

20.6 

1903. 

1,290,347 

39,120,772 

308 

20 

13,160 

57,166 

70,326 

33.0 

20.6 

1904. 

1,306,198 

34,569,430 

309 

20 

10,967 

52,115 

63,082 

33.8 

21.2 

1905. 

1,402,931 

44,137,858 

325 

20 

12,183 

53,728 

65,911 

36.0 

22.0 

1906. 

1,441,934 

46,187,845 

327 

22 

13,032 

59,281 

72,313 

38.0 

24.0 

1907. 

1,500,579 

47,322,788 

330 

21 

14,879 

62,001 

76,880 

41.0 

25.0 

1908. 

1,403,034 

42,864,262 

331 

21 

15,265 

58,960 

74,225 

44.0 

27.0 

1909. 

1,785,665 

50,034,590 

323 

21 

18,431 

70,894 

89,325 

42.0 

26.0 

1910. 

1,896, GOl 

56,396,939 

313 

19 

17,698 

73,821 

91,519 

42.0 

27.0 

1911. 

1,901,290 

55,974,015 

311 

19 

16,921 

71,628 

88,549 

44.0 

28.0 


According to this official record the average daily wages received 
by the male operatives in cotton spinning mills in 1888 amounted to 
17 sen (8.466 cents) and female workers 8 sen (3.984 cents), with an 
average of 5.6 cents a day for the whole body of operatives. In 1911 
the average male operative received 44 sen (21.912 cents) and the 
average female operative 28 sen (13.944 cents), with an average for 
the whole body of operatives of 15.33 cents a day. This is an increase 
of 174 per cent in 24 years, and at a similar rate in another 24 years 
the operatives in the spinning mills of Japan may be averaging as 
high as 42 cents a day. 

In the five years following the Chinese War of 1894-95 there was a 
greater proportionate rise in wages than has occurred at any other 
similar period, but, with slight setbacks due to unfavorable condi¬ 
tions, there has been a continuous trend upward. 

18G 

















































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


187 


COMPARATIVE INCREASE IN WAGES AND PRODUCTION. 


The increase in wages as compared with that in yarn production 
per operative is shown in the following table: 


Years. 

Dafly 
average 
of working 
spindles. 

Yam pro¬ 
duced. 

Working 
hours in 

Total 

opera¬ 

tives. 

Spindles 
per oper¬ 
ative. 

Yam 
produc¬ 
tion per 

Average daily 
wages. 


year. 

opera¬ 

tive. 

Males. 

Females. 

1888. 

113,856 
277,895 

Pounds. 

13,170,183 

6,908 

6,174 

3,403 

14,419 

33.457 

Pounds. 

3,870 

2,938 

Cents. 

8. 466 

Cents. 

3.984 

1890..• 

42^331^05 
152,418,772 

19.273 

8. 466 

4.084 

1895. 

518^ 736 
1,144,027 

6,534 

40,790 

12.717 

3,737 

8.964 

4.930 

1900. 

268', 013,172 
364,887,672 

5,454 

56,022 

20. 421 

4,606 

15. 438 

9.611 

1905. 

1,402,931 

6'500 
5,947 

65 ;911 
91,519 
88,549 

21. 285 

5 '536 

17.928 

10.956 

1910. 

i; 896'601 

466^ 233 ; 495 
- 462,737,182 

20. 723 

5,094 

5,226 

20.916 

13. 446 

1911. 

i;90i;290 

5 '909 

21. 472 

21.912 

13.944 




The number of spindles per operative is obtained by dividing the 
total spindles by the total operatives, but the mills work night and 
day, the number of days and the average hours per day varying. On 
the basis of the 11-hour day in 1888 the average would be 66.914 
spindles per operative, and on the basis of the 9^-hour day of 1911 
the average would be 42.994 spindles per operative. (This decrease 
in the hours per day does not indicate a trend toward shorter time, 
but only that trade was dull in the latter period.) 

If the yarn production is reduced to a uniform basis, the produc¬ 
tion per spindle per operative per hour was 0.5602 pound in 1888 and 
0.8844 pound in 1911. This is an increase in productive efficiency per 
operative of 56.6 per cent, while, as previously shown, the increase in 
average wages has been 174 per cent, which indicates a higher labor 
cost per pound of yarn. 


association’s record of production and wages. 


The foregoing table, giving working spindles, productions, wages, 
etc., is from official statistics published by the Japanese Department 
of Agriculture and Commerce. For the last 10 years the Japan Cot¬ 
ton Spinners’ Association has also compiled, from reports made by 
every spinning mill, semiannual reports in similar detail, which 
follow. 


























188 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN 


Half years. 

Daily 
average of 
working 
spindles. 

Yam pro¬ 
duction. 

Annual 

work¬ 

ing 

days. 

Daily 

work¬ 

ing 

hours. 

Average daily operatives. 

Average daily 
wages. 

Males. 

Females. 

Total. 

Males. 

Females. 

1903: 

• 

Kwan. 






Sen. 

Sen. 

First. 

1,302,704 

20,069,697 

158.0 

21.60 

14,959 

61,868 

76,827 

32.28 

20.56 

Second. 

1,293,227 

20,087,216 

165.7 

20.90 

13,631 

56,804 

70,435 

32.86 

20.58 

1904: 









20.20 

First. 

1,255,833 

15,666,393 

148.6 

19.50 

11,541 

49,999 

61,540 

33.46 

Second. 

1,242,339 

18; 373,122 

162.5 

21.40 

11,361 

50,440 

61,801 

33.79 

20.50 

1905: 









20.66 

First. 

1,320,534 

22,014,722 

163.2 

22.20 

12,201 

57,282 

69,483 

38.95 

Second. 

1,338,274 

22,128,294 

166.6 

22.20 

13,422 

59,986 

73,408 

35.19 

21.83 

1906: 









22. 42 

First. 

1,394,412 

23,179,110 

164.4 

22.30 

14,368 

61,462 

75,830 

36.17 

Second. 

1,415,014 

23,002,262 

166.3 

22.10 

14,624 

61,093 

75,717 

36.89 

23.26 

1907: 









24.13 

First. 

1,461,150 

24,577,201 

164.3 

22.10 

15,093 

65,620 

80,713 

38.31 

Second. 

1,454,888 

23 ; 675,621 

165.7 

22.11 

15,391 

63,133 

78,524 

40.33 

25.00 

1908: 









24.52 

First. 

1,416,801 

22,255,679 

159.6 

22.20 

15,407 

63,472 

78,879 

40.91 

Second. 

1,318,460 

20,592,762 

164.8 

22.51 

14,691 

54,835 

69,526 

41.04 

25.43 

1909: 









26. 22 

First... 

1,517,758 

24,299,922 

162.1 

22.24 

16,296 

64,857 

81,153 

42.30 

Second. 

1,620,400 

25,751,744 

164.4 

22.10 

17,391 

68,471 

85,862 

42.62 

27.14 

1910: 










First. 

1,756,799 

28,138,171 

159.5 

21.50 

18,337 

76,462 

94,799 

43.20 

27.01 

Second. 

1,725,535 

27;300;232 

159.2 

21.51 

18,195 

74,765 

92,960 

43.61 

27.43 

1911: 










First. 

1,771,668 

27,061,853 

156.9 

22.04 

17,969 

76,018 

93,987 

44.54 

28.39 

Second. 

1,796,460 

28,277,165 

160.3 

22.08 

17,278 

73,718 

90,996 

45.49 

29.18 

1912: 










First. 

1,915,289 

31,800,490 

157.3 

22.42 

18,150 

79,049 

97,199 

46.08 

30.06 

Second. 

2,053,093 

34,878,239 

162.5 

22.36 

18,691 

82,508 

101,199 

47.28 

31.01 

1913: First. 

2,118,402 

36,535,081 

162.4 

22.44 

19,167 

88,227 

107,394 

48.07 

31.60 


COMPAKISON OF ASSOCIATION AND GOVERNMENT RETURNS. 

Both this table and the one from the Government statistics are for 
all the cotton-spinning mills of Japan (excluding the weave sheds, 
however). Owing to some difference in the way m which compiled, 
the two tables are slightly different, as can be seen from a comparison 
of the 1911 figures, the latest issued by the Government: 



Government. 

Association. 

Daily average of working .spindles. 

1,901,290 

311 

19 

55,974,015 

1,784,064 

317.2 

22.06 

55,339,018 

Days of work in year. 

Average hours worked per day. 

Yarn produced.*.I.kwan.. 

Average number of operatives employed: 

Males. 

16,921 

71,628 

17,624 
74,868 

Females. 

Total. 

88,549 

44.00 
28.00 

92,492 

45.01 
28. 78 

Average wages per day: 

Males..sen.. 

Females.sen.. 


By multiplying the average spindles worked by the total hours 
worked, the total spindle hours for the industry in 1911, according to 
the Government statistics, works out as 11,234,722,610, while accord¬ 
ing to the association figures it was 12,483,866,524. 

According to the association statistics the wages reached, during 
the fu’st half of 1913, an average of 48.07 sen (23.94 cents) per day for 
male and 31.60 sen (15.74 cents) a day for female operatives, with 
a general average for all operatives of 34.54 sen, or 17.2 cents. 


































































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


189 


PRODUCTION ON RING AND 'MULE SPINDLES. 


^ The association separates the spindles and production, according to 
ring spindles and mule spindles, as follows, and also shows the aver¬ 
age number of yarn produced by each class: 


Half years. 

Average working 
spindles. 

Total production 
of yam. 

Average daily 
production per 
spindle. 

Average yam 
count. 


Ring. 

Mule. 

Ring. 

Mule. 

Ring. 

Mule. 

Ring. 

Mule. 

1903: 

First. 

1,220,056 

82,648 

Kwan. 

19,744,923 

Kwan. 
324,774 

Momme. 

94.5 

Momme. 

60.7 

21.6 

35.5 

Second. 

1,213,513 

79,714 

19,788,123 

299,093 

94.0 

54.6 

21.8 

36.2 

1904: 





First. 

1,178,017 

77,816 

15,420,933 

245,460 

82.9 

41.6 

21.3 

42.0 

Second. 

1,166,587 

75,752 

18,140,426 

232,696 

87.4 

43.7 

21.1 

45.9 

1905: 




First. 

1,240,853 

79,861 

21,741,665 

273,057 

101.7 

44.5 

20.7 

40.4 

Second. 

1,260,951 

77,323 

21,848,239 

280;055 

99.4 

48.5 

20.8 

41.6 

1906: 

First. 

1,322,778 

1,348,339 

71,635 

22,892,117 

286,993 

102.3 

56.5 

21.0 

38.6 

Second. 

66,675 

22,736,527 

265;735 

99.3 

62.3 

21.1 

34.7 

1907: 





First. 

1,404,341 

56,809 

24,327,137 

249,664 

104.7 

58.6 

20.8 

32.1 

Second. 

1,412,022 

42,866 

23,480,010 

195,611 

101.7 

57.7 

20.5 

30.4 

1908: 






First. 

1,368,872 
1,270,597 

47,929 

22,028,217 

227,462 

99.1 

58.1 

20.8 

30.9 

Second. 

, 47,863 

20,321,009 

271,753 

94.3 

44.0 

21.0 

35.8 

1909: 







First. 

1,471,095 

1,578,404 

46,663 

24,008,519 

291,458 

98.6 

42.4 

21.2 

38.9 

Second. 

44,996 

25,506,994 

244,750 

95.6 

43.6 

21.3 

47.3 

1910: 





First. 

1,720,675 

36,124 

27,979,123 

159,048 

96.1 

30.1 

21.2 

60.8 

Second. 

1,696,986 

28,549 

27,100,833 

199,399 

92.9 

79.3 

21.6 

38.3 

1911: 








First. 

1,743,621 

28,047 

26,843,330 

218,523 

92.1 

84.2 

22.7 

24.0 

Second. 

1,771,828 

24,632 

28,095,878 

181,287 

90.4 

69.8 

22.8 

34.7 

1912: 

First. 

1,884,850 

30,439 

31,616,210 

184,280 

99.2 

66.9 

23.4 

40.1 

Second. 

2,011,107 

41,986 

34,678,372 

199,867 

101.0 

51.5 

23.0 

45.0 

1913: First. 

2,074,899 

43,503 

36,358,702 

176,379 

101.8 

36.7 

23.0 

47.7 


The average yarn count made on the ring frames in 1903 was 
No. 21.7, and in the’first half of 1913 No. 23, which shows only a 
’ slight rise in the average count. The great bulk of the yarn required 
is coarse, and 16s weft and 20s warp were still the two main counts 
made, especially for export, in 1913, as they have been for a score of 
years. As previously shown, however, the actual amount of me¬ 
dium and fine yarns manufactured is increasing, though the propor¬ 
tion to the total is so small as to have little effect on the average 
yarn count for the whole. Most of the medium and fine counts are 
spun on the ring frame, for the mules require help of so much higher 
stall and consequently so much higher cost that the number of 
mules, even with an increase in the amount of finer numbers spun, 
is decreasing. 

The number of spinning spindles shown by the Government and 
by the association in the foregoing tables is the daily average of 
those in operation. The Government does not show the total spindles 
installed, but the association records a total on December 31, 1903, 
of 1,381,306, of which 1,295,086 were ring and 86,220 mule; and a 
total on June 30, 1913, of 2,287,264, of which 2,237,904 were ring 
and 49,360 mule. This shows that while the ring spindles have 
been increasing the mule spindles have been decreasing, both in the 
number installed and the number operated. 

















































190 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


AVERAGE PRODUCTION PER SPINDLE. 

In the first half of 1913 in a day (that is, day and night) of 22.44 
hours the Japanese ring spindles on an average of No. 23 yarn turned 
off 0.84158 pound each, which is equivalent to 0.375 pound in 10 
hours. The Japanese mule spindles on an average of No. 47.7 in 
22.44 hours turned off 0.3034 pound each, which is equivalent to 
0.1352 pound in 10 hours. The spinning tables made up by the 
Draper Co. show about the highest speeds and productions of any 
American machine builder. They give for a ring spindle a 10-hour 
production on No. 23 warp as 0.326 pound and on No. 23 weft as 0.361 
pound, both of which are under the Japanese production, if this has 
been correctly averaged by the association. The Japanese figures 
are probably fairly correct, and their higher showing is due to the 
fact that their figures are for the yarn as sold (or woven) and not 
for the yarn as spun. The Japanese heavily condition all yarn for 
sale, as well as most of that woven in the mill. In addition to this 
gain in weight from the moisture added in conditioning, most of the 
Japanese run their spindles at a high speed, following the English 
speed tables as nearly as the quality of their material will permit, 
and giving consideration to quantity rather than quality. Aside 
from the inefficiency of the help, this high speed with inferior material 
largely accounts for the fact that the spinners tend so very few 
spindles. 

COMPARISON OF SPINNING IN JAPAN, ENGLAND, AND UNITED STATES. 

The ring frames in Japanese cotton mills are of English make and 
most have 360 to 400 spindles to the frame, which is 180 to 200 spin¬ 
dles to the side. On 8s to 12s yarn, made from low-grade Chinese 
and Indian cottons, there are frequently 3 spinners to each frame, but 
on medium-count yarns made from all-American cotton spinners 
run H to 2 sides (300 to 400 spindles) each. The great bulk of the 
yarn spun, however, is between these two extremes, and the general 
rule is one side to the spinner. 

On 20s warp, for instance, which is made mainly from the best 
grades of Indian cotton with a mixture of American Uplands and the 
best Chinese, a spinner usually runs one side of, say, 200 spindles. 
She is usually paid by weight and averages about 30 sen a day, or 
1.80 yen in 6 working days of about 66 working hours. The spinning 
mills all operate night and day, but the actual hours worked by any 
spinner in a nominal 12-hour day are necessarily not much over 11. 
The hours are the same each day, as they have no half holiday on 
Saturday or other days. 

In England 20s ring warp would ordinarily be spun from what they 
class as ‘‘fully middling’' American, but “fully” is used by them to 
denote the half instead of the quarter grade, and as there is about a 
half grade difference between the English and the American cotton 
classifications this “fully middling” would be equal only to “mid¬ 
dling” in the United States. An English ring spinner on 20s warp 
tends about 3 sides of 200 spindles, or 600 spindles, and is paid about 
30d. per 100 spindles per week, making, therefore, about 15s. per 
55^ houi's. 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


191 


In the Carolinas 20 s warp would be made of strict middling Uplands 
(some using good middling), and a ring spinner tends about 8 sides 
of 112 spindles, or 896 spindles, and is paid an average of about 11^ 
cents per side per day, making $5.52 per week of 60 hours. 

With the ordinary good ring spinner, under usual circumstances, 
the spinning of 20s ring warp in the three countries compares about 
as follows: 



Japanese. 

English. 

American. 

Ring spindles per spinner on 20s warp. 

200 

600 

896 

Worlfihg hours in 6 working days. 

66 

55i 

$3.65 

60 

Spinner’s wages for 6 working days. 

$0.90 

$5.52 

Usual speed 1-inch front roll in revolutions per minute. 

140 

145 

134 

Per cent of theoretical production obtained. 

90 

90 

90 

Pounds yarn per spindle in 6 working days. 

2.592 

2.257 

2.255 

Pounds yarn per spinner in 6 working days. 

518 

1,354 
0.2695 

2,020 
0.2735 

Spinner’s wages per pound of yarn, in cents. 

0.1737 



According to this computation the English ring spinner on 20 s 
ring warp runs only about two-thirds as many spindles and gets off 
only about two-thirds as much yarn as the American spinner; the 
Japanese ring spinner on 20 s warp runs less than a fourth as many 
spindles and gets off only about a fourth as much yarn as the Ameri¬ 
can. The speed of 134 revolutions per minute for the front roll 
on 26 s warp is as given for the United States by the Whitin Machine 
Works and corresponds to the usual speeds actually being operated 
in American cotton mills, as found by the investigations of the 
Tariff Board. The English speeds are much higher and the Japanese 
follow the English speeds as nearly as their material permits. Ninety 
per cent production has been allowed for all three, as the higher 
speeds and poorer material of the English and Japanese are com¬ 
pensated for by the closer oversight permitted by the fewer spindles 
to the operative. The foregoing is a fair comparison of the usual 
custom, as personally observed in all three countries, but in the yarn 
as sold the spinner’s wages will be less per pound than those shown 
for the yarn as spun in Japan and England, because^ the English 
and Japanese add moisture by conditioning after spinning while the 
Americans do not. 

WAGES OF SPINNING-MILL OPERATIVES. 

The men in the picker room of Japanese mills usually average 
about 60 sen (say, 30 cents) a day, lap carriers about 55 sen, card 
strippers and minders about 60 sen, and can girls about 30 sen. 
The girls on the draw frames seem to average about 8 single dehveries 
each and to be paid about 30 sen a day. Three women usually 
operate two slubbers together and make on piecework about 35 
sen each. On the intermediates and fine frames, with one machine 
to the operative, the women on piecework average about 40 sen each. 
Roving carriers are usually paid about 30 sen a day. Some ring 
spinners are paid by the day but more are paid by weight and most 
of them make between 25 and 35 sen each, with an average of about 
30 sen a day. The young girl doffers on the ring frames are pmd 
from 10 to 20 sen a day. Wages of reelers vary a good deal, according 























192 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


to their capacity, but they seem to average about 40 sen a day. 
The men on the yarn-bundling presses average about 60 sen a day, 
while the men at the yarn-baling presses average about 50 sen. 

WAGES AND PRODUCTION IN WEAVING MILLS. 

The Japan Cotton Spinners^ Association publishes the following 
statistics in reference to the production, operatives, wages, etc., in 
the cotton-cloth mills of Japan. The weave sheds all belong to 
spinning mills, but statistics concerning them are kept separate from 
the data* already shown for the spinning mills proper. 


Half years. 

Looms 

used. 

Cloth pro¬ 
duction. 

An¬ 

nual 

work- 

Daily 

work- 

Average daily operatives. 

Average daily 
wages. 

ing 

days. 

ing 

hours. 

Males. 

Females. 

Total. 

Males. 

Females. 

1903: 

First. 

4,992 

Yards. 

37,978,431 

157.0 

13.00 

666 

4,212 

4,878 

36.9 

23.7 

Second. 

4,933 

37,040,197 

150.7 

11.90 

647 

4,294 

4,941 

36.7 

23.2 

1904: 







First. 

5,034 

40,842,338 
40,105,010 

150.6 

12.10 

642 

4,509 

5,151* 

36.5 

22.7 

Second. 

4,747 

163.6 

14.40 

682 

5,043 

5,725 

37.1 

23.0 

1905: 







First. 

5,711 

52,345,732 

153.5 

14.30 

878 

6,383 

7,311 

7,261 

37.1 

24.5 

Second. 

7,128 

62,562,390 

155.5 

14.00 

1,100 

8,411 

29.7 

26.5 

1906: 







First. 

8,121 

/ 71,168, 497 
\ a 32,784 

} 139.5 

13.30 

1,129 

7,674 

8,803 

39.7 

26.2 

Second. 

8,860 

/ 66,064,918 
\ a 62,401 

} 154.2 

13.20 

1,366 

8,200 

9,566 

38.9 

25.5 

1907: 









First. 

9,191 

/ 71j 302j 29^ 

\ 40,172 

)■ 156.5 

13.55 

1,514 

8,951 

10, 465 

41.4 

26.9 

Second. 

9,299 

63,950,731 

148.6 

13-39 

1,535 

8,502 

10,037 

44.6 

28.4 

1908: 

First. 

9,295 
9,696 

73,939,315 

154.7 

13.54 

1,432 

8,414 

9,846 

45.4 

28.7 

Second. 

73,504,523 

162.2 

13.00 

1,535 

8,552 

10,087 

44.1 

30.0 

1909: 





First. 

11,019 

91,032,776 

160.2 

13. 48 

1,739 

11,398 

13,137 

44.9 

29.6 

Second. 

12,150 

90,944,196 

157.4 

13.49 

2,002 

11,593 

13,595 

45.1 

31.2 

1910: 





First. 

13,988 

105, 784,012 

143.0 

14.20 

2,047 

13,288 

15,335 

46.1 

30.3 

Second. 

15,833 

120,529,946 

150.1 

14.00 

2,925 

13,919 

19,844 

45.6 

30.7 

1911: 

First. 

17,484 
18,284 

141,300,607 

149.8 

14.28 

2 , 760 

17,406 

20,166 

46.4 

32.6 

Second. 

147,739,064 

159.4 

14.28 

2,551 

16,860 

19, 411 

47.8 

32.4 

1912: 





First. 

19,781 

165,330,835 

157.8 

13.40 

2,716 

17,678 

20,394 

49.6 

34.3 

Second. 

20,635 

177,253,849 

160.5 

13.04 

2,873 

18,333 

21,206 

50.9 

34.4 

1913: First. 

. 22,975 

204,655,996 

153.8 

13.19 

3,264 

22,034 

25', 298 

52.8 

35.8 


a Dozen pieces. 

Comparing the first half of 1903 with the first half of 1913, it is 
seen that the average looms in operation have increased from 4,992 
to 22,975, or 360 per cent; the yards of cloth produced from 37,978,431 
to 204,655,996, or 439 per cent; the average operatives from 4,878 to 
25,298, or 421 per cent; the average wages of males from 36.9 sen 
(18.376 cents) to 52.8 sen (26.294 cents), or 43 per cent; the average 
wages of females from 23.7 sen (11.803 cents) to 35.8 sen (17.828 
cents), or 51 per cent; and the average wages of all operatives from 
25.5 sen (12.699 cents) a day to 38 sen (18.294 cents), or 49 per cent. 

WAGES OF VARIOUS OPERATIVES. 

The operatives in the weave sheds, according to the association 
reports, averaged 52.8 sen a day for the males and 35.8 sen for the 
females; as against 44 sen for the males and 28 sen for the females 














































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


193 


in the spinning mills. In the spinning mills the largest number of 
operatives are ring spinners, and in the weave sheds the largest 
number are weavers. Though both consist almost entirely of 
\vomen and girls, \veaving requires more skillful work and the opera¬ 
tives are better paid. 

In the weave sheds the spoolers seem to average not much over 
25 sen a day. On the beam warpers there are usually three girls to 
each machine, the operator of which receives about 35 sen a day and 
the creelers about 25 sen each. The drawing-in girls make about 
30 sen a day and their assistants about 20 sen. The slasher men 
get about 60 sen a day, while the head slasher man who has to look 
after the proper mixing of the size, etc., is paid as much as 1 yen 
(49.8 cents). In the cloth room the girls get 25 to 35 sen a day, 
while the men average about 45 sen. 

In the weave shed the loom fixers operate sections of 50 to 70 
looms each and average some 70 to 80 sen a day. Some of the 
weavers, especially those who have been in the weave room only a 
few months, operate only one loom apiece; a few of the more skilled 
operate as many as three looms on sheetings or even four on some 
classes of shirtings. On ordinary sheetings and drills, however, 
the general rule is two looms to the weaver, and only a few of the 
best-managed rooms will average as many as 2 ^ looms to the weaver. 
The cuts are measured in yards and the rate is usually stated in 
sen per cut, though sometimes in sen per yard. 

COMPARISON OF WEAVING IN JAPAN, ENGLAND, AND UNITED STATES. 

One of the leading mills gave the piecework rates on their prin¬ 
cipal cloths as follows: (a) 36-inch sheeting weighing 13f pounds 
(finished) per 40 yards, made with 42 ends of No. 13^ warp and 43 
picks of No. 15 weft to the square inch, weaving rate, 0.36 sen per 
yard; (b) 36-inch sheeting weighing 16 pounds (finished) per 40 
yards, made with 52 ends of No. 15 warp and 51J picks of No. 15 
weft to the square inch, weaving rate, 0.45 sen per yard; (c) 30-inch 
T cloth weighing 81 pounds (finished) per 24 yards, made with 60 
ends of No. 18 warp and 60 picks of No. 16^ weft to the square inch, 
weaving rate, 0.50 sen per yard. 

Another of the main mills stated that it paid 14 sen per cut of 40 
yards on 36-inch, 44 by 42, 2.85-yard sheeting; and 24 sen per cut 
of 46 yards on 44-inch, 58 by 58, 4.74-yard shirting. A mill that 
makes a lot of 36-inch, 44 by 44, 3-yard sheeting stated that it 
paid 15 sen per 40-yard cut, and that though some mills paid slightly 
more or less because of differences in location, etc., this was about 
the usual rate on such goods. 

In the Carolinas the ordinary good weaver on 36-inch sheeting, 
made 48 by 48, is paid about 15 cents a 40-yard cut and operates 8 
plain looms, while on automatic looms he operates 20 or more and 
IS paid about 10 cents a cut. 

In England no weaver runs over 4 looms without assistance. 
According to the ‘^Uniform list for weaving’’ that obtains in Lan¬ 
cashire, a 36-inch sheeting if made like the American with 48 ends 
of 13s warp and 48 picks of 14s weft to the square inch, and woven 
on a loom with 40-inch reed space, would be paid for at the rate of 
26.28d. (53.49 cents) per 100 yards, or 21.4 cents per 40 yards. 

48895°—14-13 



194 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


With the ordinary good weaver, under usual circumstances, the 
weaving of 36-inch sheeting in the three countries compares about 
as follows: 



With plain looms. 

With au¬ 
tomatic 
looms, 
American. 

Japanese. 

English. 

American. 

Looms i)er weaver. 

2 

72 

44 

180 

87i 

429 

858 

7. 47 
SI. 60 

4 

55^ 
48 
200 
87i 
337 
1,348 
21.4 
$7.21 

8 

60 

48 

170 

87i 

310 

2,480 

15 

$9.30 

20 
60 
48 
160 
921 
308" 
6,160 
10 

$15. 40 

WorkirTg hours in 6 working daj's. 

Picks per inch. 

Speed of loom in picks per minute. 

Per cent of theoretical production. 

Yards cloth per loom in 6 working davs. 

Yards cloth per weaver in 6 working days. 

Weaver’s rate per 40 yards, in cents. 

Weaver’s wages for 6 working days. 


With plain looms on 36-inch sheeting the English weaver runs 
only half as many looms as the American and gets off about 55 
per cent as much cloth; while the Japanese weaver runs only one- 
lourth as many looms as the American and with longer hours and 
fewer picks to the inch gets off only about 35 per cent as much cloth. 
The contrast is still more pronounced between the Japanese and 
English on plain looms and the American on automatic looms. 
Over a third of the looms in American cotton mills are automatic 
while in English cotton mills only about 1 per cent are automatic. 
In Japan practically no automatic looms are operated as such, as 
the batteries have been removed from most of the automatic looms 
purchased by them and they are run as plain looms. 

CONDITIONS GOVERNING PRODUCTION. 

In the above comparison I have shown the same per cent of pro¬ 
duction for all three countries, which for this class of goods, is approx¬ 
imately correct. Where looms are operated at high speeds on poorer 
material this condition is about balanced by the fewer looms to the 
weaver. On such goods the English looms are operated at a speed 
of 190 to 210 picks to the minute and 200 is a fair average. They 
use less twist in their yarns than the Americans, and they require 
the weaver to do odd jobs around the looms that in the United 
States are done by cheaper help. These facts, with the conservatism 
of the labor unions, account for so few looms to the weaver. In 
Japan on such goods looms are operated betewen 170 and 190 picks 
per minute, and 180 is a fair average under usual conditions. With 
the looms at this speed on a poor grade of yarn, comparatively few 
of the weavers are skilled enough to operate more than two looms. 
In the United States the standard speed on 36-inch sheetings is 
frequently stated as 180 picks and some mills actually attain this 
or more, but as found in the investigations of the Tariff Board most 
of the mills prefer to run not over 170 picks to the minute and some 
less. With this lower speed and stronger twisted yarn made of 
higher grade cotton the American weaver can run up to 8 plain looms, 
and up to 20, or even more, automatic looms. 

Under such conditions the actual productive efficiency of the 
English weaver on these goods, even for the same length of time. 























COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


195 


would be less than two-thirds that of the American, and the actual 
productive efficiency of the Japanese weaver considerably less than 
one-third that of the American. If first-class Japanese, English, 
and American weavers were to operate looms side by side under 
exactly the same conditions in an American mill, their relative 
efficiencies woidd not vary by anything like that shown, but in com¬ 
paring productive efficiencies one must consider the actual condi¬ 
tions in the different countries, with no allowance for possible effi¬ 
ciencies under other conditions. 

In the United States, where wages are high, the main object is to 
obtain the maximum production from each operative; hence, speeds 
are moderate and each operative is given as much machinery as he 
can attend to. In Japan, where wages are low, the principal object 
is to get the maximum output from each machine with the class of 
material used; hence, machinery is operated long hours and at as 
high speed as possible, and as many operatives are employed as are 
necessary to get the desired result. 

COMPUTATION OF WAGES—METHODS OF PAYMENT. 

In the Japanese cotton mills the workers were at first paid almost 
entirely by the day, but there has been a steady trend toward pa 5 dng 
by the piece. At present nearly two-thirds of the operatives seem to 
be paid piecework rates and only about one-third by the day. Work¬ 
ers in the picker room, around the cards and draw frames, doffing 
ring frames, in the cloth room, in the engine and boiler room, and 
general laborers are still paid by the day, but fly-frame tenders are 
usually paid by the hank, spinners and reelers by weight, and weavers 
by the cut. 

The pay day varies at different mills, some paying at the end of 
every month and others twice a month; a few pay every ten days. 
In most mills all workers are paid on the same day, but in some the 
day and piece workers are paid on different days, and in some the 
operatives are divided into classes and each class is paid on a certain 
day. A few of the mills pay in mill checks, which can be traded but 
will be redeemed by the mill in cash on presentation at certain times 
by the operative or tradesman. Most of the mills deduct from the 
workers’ wages each pay day a certain amount for guarantee or sav¬ 
ings, and as this is returned to them only when they have finished 
their contract period it is known among the operatives as ‘‘Oshi- 
dome-kin,” or ^Teet-binding money.” On pay day there are also 
deducted from the workers’ wages any fines that have been incurred, 
expenses for medicine, and contributions toward the workers’ insur¬ 
ance funds, if such funds are maintained by the mill. 

WORKING HOURS. 

Japanese spinning mills have worked regularly night and day 
almost from the beginning of the industry, and night work is only 
discontinued by them as a short-time measure during periods of 
depression. The actual working time per day or night, with the rest 
periods deducted, amounts to 11 to 11^ hours, without any variation 
for sex or age of employees. The shifts are changed at 6 a. m. and 6 
p. m. The day operatives get their breakfast before starting work at 



196 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


G a. m., have a half-hour for tiffin, cither 11.30 to 12 or 12 to 12.30, 
and have dinner after the night shift takes their place at 6 p. m. In 
addition, most mills allow operatives a 15-minute rest at 9 and at 
3 o’clock. The night shift have the same hours as the day shift. 
When by reason of sickness or other cause workers are missing from 
either shift, operatives are frequently required to piece out the time 
by working longer than their regular shifts. The 30-minute tiffin 
period and the 15 minute rest periods are not strictly followed, as in 
many mills the machinery does not stop and the workers are allowed 
off in sections. Those working on piece rates, of course, stop as 
little as possible in order to increase their wages. 

Some mills still work the old Japanese system of stopping only on 
the 1st and 16th of the month, the motive power not being stopped 
for 14 days and nights at a stretch. Most of the mills, however, now 
stop either every tenth day or every seventh day. Sunday is not 
observed by the Japanese, but the larger mills have come to see the 
advantage, for both machinery and operatives, of having more fre¬ 
quent rest days than formerly. The Kanegafuchi, for example, as 
well as some of the other large mills, now stops completely four days 
and nights a month. 

The day and night shifts are alternated every rest day, which may 
be therefore 7, 10, or 14 days, according to the custom of the mill. 
The mills observe the three national holidays, which are February 11 
(the date of the Foundation of the Empire), April 3 (the date of the 
death of the first Emperor), and October 31 (the birthday anniver¬ 
sary of the present Emperor). In addition, they stop the last day 
of the year and New Year’s Day, and also usually on the day of the 
year in which the mill was formally opened. This makes six yearly 
holidays that are usually observed; in addition, there is sometimes a 
day’s stop for a holiday of the district in which the mill is situated. 
Even with these seven holidays the industry does not average a stop 
of one day a week during the year. For instance, during 1912 the 
average number of days worked by the spinning mills as a whole is 
shown by the association to have been 319.8 (of 22.39 hours average 
per day and night), which leaves only 45.2 days’ stoppage in 52 weeks. 
In very prosperous times, as in 1907, there are not more than 35 days 
of rest during the year. During the 26 weeks of the first half of 1913 
mills averaged only 20 days’ rest. 

EFFECT OF LONG HOUKS. 

The great majority of the operatives are women and girls, most of 
them under 20 years of age and a few of them under 12. The con¬ 
tinuous work, with long hours and little relaxation, undoubtedly 
exercises a detrimental effect on their health. At a recent meeting 
of the National Medical Association of Japan, Dr. Shu Ishiwara, in 
referring to the bad effects of the close confinement and long hours in 
the cotton mills, stated that many of the girls contracted tuberculosis 
and on returning home spread this disease over the country. Some¬ 
times outsiders are apt to exaggerate the trials of any kind of factory 
life,^ and some in Japan have written of the hardships of the girls 
having to eat breakfast before 6 o’clock; but in Japan, as well as in 
many other countries, the farmer’s family has usually finished break¬ 
fast well before this time, and the food the girls get at the mill is 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


197 


usually as good as that they would get at home. It is a fact, however, 
that the excessive hours worked in Japan are bad on the health in the 
long run, and this is one reason why the mills find it impossible to 
build up a permanent force. The hours seem to be longer and the 
conditions in this respect at least worse in the weaving mills than in 
the spinning mills. In spinning mills working night and day an 
operative can not work over 12 hours (of which only about 11 are 
given actually to work), except on occasions when temporarily 
required to piece out the work of someone missing in another shift. 
The weave mills, with only two or three exceptions, do not work at 
night, but they work the single day shift longer. Most operatives 
have to put in a full 12 hours at their work, and some of them work 
13 or 14 hours and even longer in certain mills at certain times. A 
few of the weaving mills work only 11 hours, while two or three usually 
work night and day, which is equivalent to about 11 hours actual work 
for each shift. Weaving can not be carried on as well at night as in 
the daytime for, besides the difficulty of adjusting the pay of two 
operatives when the cuts may not fall evenly in the two divisions, 
artificial light with its shadows is not conducive to good work. The 
majority of the weaving mills therefore work in the daytime with one 
shift, though in many cases this shift is worked excessive hours, while, 
all the spinning mills work night and day with two shifts. 

FINANCIAL ADVANTAGES OF NIGHT WORK. 

With spinning mills working night and day the fixed charges are 
distributed over almost twice as great a production, and this, of 
course, means a much lower cost of manufacture. At one period 
when the coarse yarn mills temporarily stopped night work as a short- 
time measure, the association reported that the output averaged a 
decrease of 45 per cent, from which it would seem that the night 
production is somewhat less than the day production. The cost of 
production was so increased by the stoppage of night work, however, 
that most of the mills found it cheaper to stop 40 per cent of their 
machinery altogether and to operate the remainder night and day. 
The manufacturers are very much opposed to any law prohibiting 
or materially restricting the work of women and children at night, 
for if this takes effect night work will have to be stopped entirely, it 
being impossible to use men only. When that takes place tlie cost 
of manufacture will be so increased as materially to affect the power 
of competition abroad. 


OPERATIVES. 

For the first half of 1913 the Japan Cotton Spinners^ Association 
records the following for the whole industry: 


Spinning mills: 

Total spindles installed on June 30, 1913. 2, 287, 264 

Daily average working spindles during first half of 1913. 2, 118, 402 

Daily average of operatives employed. 107, 394 

Weaving mills; 

Total looms installed on June 30, 1913. 23, 783 

Daily average working looms during first half of 1913. 22, 975 

Daily average of operatives employed. 25, 298 








198 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


For day and night work the spinning mills require about 50.7 opera¬ 
tives per 1,000 spindles, which is equivalent to about 25h operatives 
per 1,000 spindles for daywork only. The weaving mills show an 
average of 110.1 operatives per 100 looms, but two or three mills 
operated at night, and if they used one 12-hour day shift only they 
would require approximately 1 operative per loom. 

Of the spinnmg-mill operatives, 19,167, or 17.85 per cent, were 
males and 88,227, or 82.15 per cent, females. Of the weaving-mill 
operatives, 3,264, or 12.9 per cent, were males and 22,034, or 87.1 
per cent, females. This shows to what extent the mills depend on 
lemale labor. 

Males are employed for overseers, loom fixers, engineers, firemen, 
bundlers, balers, and general outside labor, also in the picker room and 
slasher room. Most of the operatives around the cards and in the 
cloth room are females, while drawing, roving, spinning, reeling, 
spooling, warping, drawing in, and weaving are almost entirely female 
labor. Girls are so much cheaper than men that they are employed 
wherever possible. 

DIFFICULTY IN SECURING OPERATIVES. 

The employees in the mills are mainly country girls of the peasant 
class, with a smaller number from the poorer classes of the town popula¬ 
tion. They are mostly under a three-year contract, though some mills 
have a five-year contract and some have contracts for shorter periods. 
The girls in the country are usually ignorant of the long hours and 
strict oversight to which they will be subjected at the mill, and are 
induced to come by the prospect of saving money enough for their 
trousseau. About 80 per cent of them, it is stated, leave as soon as 
their contract is up and part of these return home, but over half are 
said to drift into work, good or bad, in the nearest towns. The labor 
is therefore mainly transient, and this has been a great drawback to 
raising the standard of efficiency. Some mills are attempting to 
build up a force of permanent trained help by offering special induce¬ 
ments in the way of wage increases for each year worked over the term 
of the first contT'act, by granting retiring pensions after a certain num¬ 
ber of years, etc., as well as offering special inducements as to housing 
accommodations, etc., to those who marry and continue in their 
employ. These are not likely to have much effect until hours are 
decreased and wages increased, and in the meantime the mills each 
year are put to considerable expense and trouble in securing and 
breaking in green help unaccustomed to any kind of machine work. 

After the Chinese War and again after the Russian War there were 
extraordinary increases in the amount of labor required, and even in 
ordinary times the number required increases annually. The popula¬ 
tion of Japan is growing rapidly, and there would seem to be little 
necessity of severe competition for labor, but the wages are not high 
enough to attract those living in the cities, except a small percentage 
of the poorer classes, and the long continuous work indoors is not 
attractive to peasant girls. So pronounced has become the difficulty 
in securing the large number of new hands required annually that an 
Osaka mill is now experimenting with girls brought from Chosen, and 
the general result, with the increasing cost of living, has been to 
force a steady increase in wages. The fact that a majority of the 


COTTO^^ GOODS IN JAPAN. 199 

workers are females and under long contracts precludes any forcing 
up of wages through a strike. 

Only a small proportion of the help can be obtained locally, especially 
by mills situated in a town, and most of the mills have to send a con¬ 
siderable distance for girls. Different mills have certain sections of 
the country that they scour for help regularly, their agents sometimes 
making advances or using other means to get farmers to pledge to send 
their little daughters to the mill as soon as they are old enough—that is, 
10 to 12 years of age. Most of the Tokyo mills get their help from the 
northeastern section of Japan, while those of Osaka depend mostly on 
the country sections of Hokurokudo, Sanyodo, and Shikoku Island. 

METHODS OF OBTAINING OPERATIVES. 

The recruiting of labor is done in various ways: 

1. The mill may appoint one or more recruiting agents in special 
parts of the country, each of whom is paid a salary and usually an 
additional commission on everv worker he sends to the mill. 

2. The mill may have a standing agreement with a local employ¬ 
ment agency as to the commission to be paid for every worker secured, 
the milt notifying the agency from time to time as to the number 
required. Such agencies, hoAvever, in order to make as high com¬ 
missions as possible, frequently send in any labor they can pick up 
without regard to fitness, so that this system does not always work 
to the interests of the mill. 

3. When short of help the mill may send out employees and try to 
get others through them. This method is largely used, but is rather 
expensive and not always productive of results. 

4. When very short of help, the mill may send out one of its fore¬ 
men to sections where it already has recruiting agents or connections 
with a local employment agency, and he acts as an inspector and 
also directly engages labor. The salary of such a worker is compara¬ 
tively high, and it also occasionally happens that he is found to work 
for his own interests, in cooperation with the local agent, rather than 
for the interests of the mill. 

The ordinary recruiting agent gets from 3 to 16 yen a month as 
salary. The regular commission for recruiting each worker is 1 yen, 
but in times of severe competition for labor it may go up as high as 5 
yen a worker. The expenses of the workers for traveling and in some 
cases for clothes are usually advanced by the mill and afterwards de¬ 
ducted from the wages in monthly installments, but in many cases 
these expenses have to be borne entirely by the mill. 

Some of the employment agents induce girls to come by picturing 
the higher wages they can make in the mill, the attractions of city 
life with its theaters, cinematographs, and other amusements, the 
better food they will get, and the establishments of various kinds 
that the mill has provided for their well-being; they may also state 
that if the girls find they do not like the work they can return at 
any time. When the girls get to the mill, however, they are usually 
housed in barracks inside the miU compound and are never allowed 
to see strangers or to go out without a chaperon, and then only on 
rare occasions, such as public holidays. The close confinement and 
the grind of steady work at long hours soon wearies most of them of 


200 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


mill life, but they find that they can not get away until their contract 
is up; and even if they could, they rarely have enough money to 
return home. Frequently they attempt to escape, but are usually 
found and returned by the police. 

EXCHANGE OF LABOR BETWEEN MILLS. 

It sometimes happens in times of scarcity of labor that a very 
active engagement of labor takes place from one mill to another. 
The girls are prevented from seeing strangers as much as possible, but 
sometimes they are enticed away on the representation of better con¬ 
ditions made by an employee of another mill who has been sent to 
work with them, and sometimes a boarding-house keeper near a mill 
wiU be paid by another miU to send it some of the operatives who stay 
at his place instead of in the barracks. The Japan Cotton Spin¬ 
ners’ Association has a rule prohibiting the enticing away of contract 
labor. The mills in the central Provinces also have a sj)ecial agree¬ 
ment among them to this effect, and one mill can demand to see the 
list of names of operatives employed by another. In times when a 
mill is losing money for lack of help, however, rules and agreements 
are not always effective, especially as names are easily changed. 

The authorities of Osaka and some other places have special police 
regulations in regard to the recruiting of labor, mainly with the object 
of preventing the engagement of labor on false representations. 
They require the registration of all recruiting agents or employment 
agencies and a return of all details of every labor contract, showing the 
name of the worker, the name of the mill, the wages to be received, 
the hours to be worked, conditions as to fines, cancellation of con¬ 
tract, period of contract, and all other details connected with the 
engagement. Fines and imprisonment are imposed where an agent 
is proved to have engaged a worker on false representations. These 
regulations also forbid the enticing away of labor under contract or 
the engagement of married women without the consent of their hus¬ 
bands or of children without consent of their parents or guardians. 

Among the mills a friendly exchange of help sometimes takes place, 
especially in the case of new mills, which may be allowed by an older 
established mill to send it some of their operatives until they have 
become trained to certain work. 

HOUSING CONDITIONS. 

The Japanese cotton mills usually erect three classes of quarters for 
such of their operatives as have no quarters of their own, viz: (1) 
Kishukusha, or workers’ barracks, in which parties of operatives 
sleep together in each room; (2) shataku, or small homes for fam¬ 
ilies; (3) shitei-geshuku, or boarding houses for workers. The 
kishukusha are the most important and house about two-thirds of the 
total operatives. Most of the workers are girls from the country and 
these barracks are established largely with a view to their oversight 
and detention. 


BARRACKS AT KANEGAFUCHI MILL. 

The Kanegafuc^ii Boseki is the largest cotton-manufacturing com¬ 
pany in Japan and employs in its various mills some 28,000 opera¬ 
tives. It is the recognized leader in welfare work and the other mills 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


201 


follow its example more or less. At its Hyogo mill (Hyogo is a con¬ 
tinuation of Kobe), the workers’ barracks are inside the mill com¬ 
pound, and, with the mill proper, the warehouses, hospital, etc. are 
inclosed within a brick wall with watchmen at the gates. These bar¬ 
racks are stated to have cost about 200 yen per tsubo (about $25 per 
square yard) of floor space, and each is built in the form of a two- 
story square, with a patio or square of ground inside with shrubs and 
flowers. Around this patio is an inside porch on both floors. The 
buildings are of the usual Japanese construction, of sandpapered 
wood with sliding panels of wood and oiled paper. At the entrance 
is the matron’s office and on either side are the rooms. On the rear 
inside porch are rows of basins and looking glasses where the girls 
make their toilet. Back of this is a room with a large brick and 
cement bath built in the floor and here the girls all bathe together 
after the day’s work, the water being kept very hot after the Japanese 
custom. The rooms are well ventilated and lighted and absolutely 
bare of furniture. Each of the partition walls is arranged with cup¬ 
boards, and here the girls keep their sleeping quilts and clothes. The 
floor is covered with thick soft straw, over which is the 'Aatami” of 
close-woven matting. The rooms are about 20 feet square and 15 
girls sleep in a room, each spreading out her quilt on the tatami and 
using a wooden block for a pillow, or rather neck rest. When the 
girls go to work the quilts are put in the cupboards and the inside and 
outside panels slid back to permit the free circulation of air through 
the room. Each party of girls is in charge of a matron, who is usually 
an old employee. 

The girls dress in the usual Japanese style, wearing a kimona, no 
head covering, and cloth socks which reach just above the ankle and 
which have a division for the big toe. As the operatives usually 
work on stone or cement floors the police rules require the use of straw 
sandals to prevent sickness, but on entering the barracks the girls 
always leave their sandals at the door. Each pair of socks or sandals 
costs about 12 sen, but the company furnishes them to operatives at 
about 10 sen each. 

A large one-story cement-floored room is used for a dining hall and 
is furnished with long benches and tables. The adjacent kitchen is 
well arranged and screened against flies. The meals are provided by 
the company and are stated to cost about 12 sen a day, though the 
worker is charged only 10 sen. The breakfast at 5 a. m. usually con¬ 
sists of rice and ^^misoshiru” (a kind of soup); with ‘dvo-no-mono,” 
or pickles, made of radish, beets, and other such vegetables chopped 
up together. Lunch and dinner consist mainly of rice, with a vege¬ 
table and occasionally fish or meat. This diet is not very extrava¬ 
gant, but is fully as good as, if not better than, the workers are accus¬ 
tomed to at home. Considering that the worker pays only 10 sen 
(say, 5 cents) a day, it is very good. Workers not living in the mill 
barracks and eating at the public dining hall are charged 12 sen a 
day, but most of these are married women or daughters of workmen, 
hence in a more favorable position in other respects. Those living in 
the Kanegafuchi barracks are not charged for their quarters, for the 
attendance connected therewith, nor for incidentals, such as baths or 
the charcoal that is used in a brazier on very cold nights; their only 
necessary expenses are for meals and such clothes as they need. 


202 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


BARRACKS AT OTHER MILLS. 

The conditions at this mill can not be taken as typical, for the bar¬ 
racks at most other mills have smaller rooms and the girls are 
crowded into a room in still larger parties. The sleeping quilts are 
not changed as often as they might be, and sometimes the day and 
night shifts use not only the same rooms but sometimes even the 
same quilts. Ventilation is often nonexistent and the rooms poorly 
lighted. In the Kanegafuchi as well as in other mills, however, the 
large number of girls sleeping together in one room is not conducive 
to either morals or health, and frequently leads to epidemics if a girl 
has contracted a contagious disease. About a third of the deaths at 
the mills are due to consumption, and as already stated many girls 
contract this disease at the mills and then spread it to other sections. 
In some mills the food is also much poorer than that supplied by the 
Kanegafuchi, and this is especially true if a mill contracts for meals 
with an outside party instead of looking after this itself. Some of the 
mills issue meal tickets, either for a day or for 10 days, but in such 
cases some operatives sell part of their meals to their fellow workers 
and sometimes children lose them. 

QUARTERS FOR FAMILIES. 

The “shataku,’’ or quarters for families, supplied by the Kanega¬ 
fuchi are near the mill and are small frame buildings furnished with 
electric light. The rental varies according to size, location, etc., but 
averages about 1 yen (49.8 cents) per room per month. Workers who 
have been with the company over three years are given house rent 
free on their marriage. 

The family quarters are usually built in rows but each family has 
its own entrance. They vary as to size and number of rooms, kitchen 
arrangements, etc. They are built of wood in the usual Japanese style. 
The mill usually pays for ordinary repairs such as to the panels, the 
tatami, etc., but cooking utensils and other necessities are supplied 
by the worker. Some of the bachelor employees of the mill also reside 
in these quarters. Many employees living in such houses eat at the 
mill dining room; in other cases they may get only their rice there 
and prepare the other little additions in their rooms. An operative 
wishing to rent one of these houses from the mill must have the lease 
signed by some adult of good standing, according to the regular 
custom when renting houses. The mills usually charge their opera¬ 
tives less for such houses than is being charged by other house owners 
in the same neighborhood. The larger mills have a force of outside 
workers employed regularly to keep their houses in good repair, and 
they foster cooperative systems for procuring the necessities of life; 
some also employ watchmen to see that after 10 o’clock the night rest 
of the worker is not interfered with by any disturbance. The larger 
mills are now doing all they can to foster this family life, as such 
employees are usually more steady and serious in their work, and it is 
very important for the miUs to increase their force of permanent 
trained help. 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


203 


BOARDING HOUSES AND OTHER QUARTERS. 

The ‘^shitei-geshuku/’ or boarding houses, are usually much the 
poorest type of the three. They are owned by the mill and situated 
nearby, but are under little actual supervision. Most of them are 
rented to landlords, and the mills use them only for surplus help for 
which they have no room in other quarters. 

Besides these three types of quarters owned by the mill there are 
also boarding houses which are absolutely independent of the mill 
and which are occupied by both male and female workers. The land¬ 
lords of these are frequently recruiting people, and this sometimes 
causes trouble. The rooms are usually small and crowded and there 
is little ventilation and poor sanitation. The food usually costs about 
a third more than the price charged by the mill and is poorer in quality. 
Many of the workers, however, prefer to pay higher for the freer life 
rather than to be under the strict supervision of the mill; moreover, 
the landlord will give them credit until pay day. The cost of board¬ 
ing and advances made by the landlord are usually paid him direct 
by the mill, being deducted from the worker’s pay. 

SAVINGS AND GUARANTY MONEY. 

To educate the worker to save money and also incidentally to pre¬ 
vent her from running away, most mills have a system of compul¬ 
sory savings and also a guaranty fund. The mills usually deduct 
from the workers’ pay 3 to 6 per cent each pay day for such purpose, 
some companies allowing interest on this fund and others not. As a 
rule the worker can not touch this money during her stay in the fac¬ 
tory, unless there are special reasons therefor, and it is paid her in a 
lump sum at the expiration of her contract. This fund is very un¬ 
popular with the employees, and many recruiting agents use the state¬ 
ment that the mill they represent has no such system in order to 
induce workers to come. The amount deducted is small but is felt 
by the employees. Most of the larger mills also have savings banks 
where they allow workers shghtly higher rates on their deposits than 
the regular interest rates, but these are little used. 

BONUSES AND FINES. 

Mill s try to raise the standard of work by means of both bonuses 
and fines. The bonuses are of different kinds. Some mills pay a 
bonus at the end of a certain period, usually a quarter or half year, 
to every employee who has worked regularly. The bonus usually is 
about a day’s extra pay a month, sometimes more, according to the 
length of time she has gone without missing a day. Most mills give 
a bonus of 5 to 10 yen at the expiration of the contract period if the 
worker has been dutiful and attentive to her work. Operatives who 
remain in the factory longer than their first contract are usually paid 
yearly or half-yearly a bonus that varies according to the number of 
years employed. In many mills those who produce over a certain 
standard of quantity or quality are given a premium. There is also 
sometimes awarded a special recompense, or ‘‘tokubetsu-sho,” as it 
is called, to those whose conduct in the factory and in private life 


204 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


lias been exemplary, to those who have done something special under 
dangerous circumstances to protect the factory from loss, or made a 
useful technical discovery, or otherwise been of special benefit to the 
factory where employed. In very prosperous years the operatives 
may occasionally participate in the profits by the mill setting aside 
a certain sum to be divided among them. Direct participation in 
profits is rather rare, though some of the mills regularly set aside 
sums for workmen’s insurance funds. 

Fines are levied if an operative does poor work or makes a wrong 
mixing of cotton or damages a machine; also in case of fights or bad 
conduct. A first offense usually entails only a warning, but a second 
offense may result in a fine of one-tenth to one-half of the weekly or 
the monthly wage, or in the offenders being barred from the factory 
for a week or a month, or being placed in a lower wage class. In case 
machinery or work is damaged purposely or by gross carelessness the 
employee may be required to pay the full amount of the damages, and 
if this is not done the guaranty fund may be confiscated for the pur¬ 
pose and the worker dismissed. 

WELFARE WORK. 

Every cotton mill in Japan maintains its own hospital, most of them 
with isolated quarters for infectious diseases. Physicians and nurses 
are permanently engaged, who, in addition to the care of the sick, 
make general inspections of the workers periodically to see if they 
have trachoma or other disease. In most of the mills the medical 
service is free, but the worker has to pay for medicine as well as food. 
In some few of .the larger mills the total expenses incurred during 
illness, including not only medical treatment and medicine, but also 
special nourishing food hke milk, soup, and eggs, as well as the 
special Idmonas, etc., that may be required, are aU paid for by the 
mill. The Kanegafuchi in addition pays the expenses of those who 
come from the worker’s home to nurse the sick^ and if the patient is 
sent home on the advice of the physician they pay the total travehng 
expenses. 

MUTUAL ASSISTANCE FUNDS. 

At many of the mills there are mutual benefit funds, available in case 
of illness or death. The mutual assistance fund association of the 
Kanegafuchi Boseki (the name of this company is popularly contracted 
into Kanebo) is called the ‘dvanebo-kyosai-kumiai” and is an insti¬ 
tution that has been imitated by several other large mills. Every 
employee of the Kanegafuchi is compelled to join this association and 
3 ])er cent of the monthly earnings of each employee is regularly 
deducted for this purpose. The mill pays into the fund an amount 
equal to that contributed by the employees and there are also special 
grants made to this fund by the mill directors from time to time when 
profits are large. This system is really compulsory insurance against 
siclmess, accident, and old age, and is patterned somewhat after the 
national compulsory insurance laws of Germany. 

Any employee of the Kanegafuchi on becoming ill wiU receive one- 
half of his or her daily wages, after the first four days, on the physi¬ 
cian’s certificate. This support is continued for three months if 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


205 


necessary, and can be extended to five months for those who have 
worked over five years. The period during which a man has neces- 
sm'ily had to be absent from the mill for seiAdce with the colors, 
either in the army or navy, is counted to his credit if he has worked 
over five years. On certificate from the physician, women are given 
an allowance for a period before and after childbirth. 

In case of involuntary accident ^ the regular full wages are paid, on 
the usual certificate from the physician; if the wage is a variable one, 
the average daily wage is taken as a basis. If permanently incapaci¬ 
tated by an accident in the mill, or if ho becomes a cripple and his 
capacity is thereby reduced, the operative oh leaving the factory 
receives a sum equal to two years’ pay, not, however, to exceed 500 
yen, if approved by the committee of the association. If he remains 
in the factory he is paid the difference between his pre\dous wages 
and what he can earn. If the individual returns to work and is not 
crippled but can not do his work as before he \rill receive, at the dis¬ 
cretion of the committee, one bonus of 5 to 50 yen, and, during the 
period he still works, the difference between his former wages and what 
he can earn. This support will also be given when wages later on 
increase. In case the operative is not permanently crippled but can 
not or should not work any more in the factory, he wiU be allowed up 
to 300 yen as compensation. 

In case of ordinary deaths in the factory, funeral contributions may 
be paid up to 15 yen and to the family an amount not exceeding 100 
yen; in case of death from accident, the funeral contribution will be 
from 15 to 30 yen, and the amount to the family from 100 to 300 yen. 

Pensions vary as follows: 

1. Males working 10 years or females working 5 years will receive 
a pension, in addition to their wages, during their further employ¬ 
ment in the factory. 

2. Males working 15 years and females working 10 years will re¬ 
ceive, even when they leave the factory, a pension for a period of 15 
years. 

3. When a male at the age of 50 or over and a female at the age of 
45 or over is incapacitated by illness from further work they .wiU 
receive, on certificate from the physician, a pension for the 5 following 
years, even if they have not worked more than 5 and 3 years, respec¬ 
tively. 

4. When a worker, on account of illness, or when ordered by the 
factory, has to give up his work for a certain period, even though he 
has not worked as long as stated in article 1, he may receive a yearly 
pension according to the time worked. A change in the period for 
which a pension is guaranteed can only be made at the decision of 
the association. 

The minimum of the yearly pension is 15 per cent for males and 10 
per cent for females of the usual salary or wage. The pension increases 
by 1 per cent yearly; however, after leaving the factory the rate does 
not change. 

J The following appeared in a recent issue of “Commerce" published in Tokyo: “There is no insurance 
on a large scale for anything in Japan save life, fire, and marine. Accident, boiler, conscription, fidelity, 
and sickness are represented by only one company in each class, while insurance against such risks as earth¬ 
quakes, biu'glars, employers’ liability, etc., can not be placed in Japan.” 



206 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


BENEFITS PAID BY MILLS—AMUSEMENT FEATURES. 

In addition to this assistance given through the ^‘Kanebo-kyosai- 
knmiai/’ workers are also given assistance by the Kanegafuchi direct. 
In case of sudden death in consequence of accident during work or in 
case of death during the period of physician’s treatment, the mill itself 
pays the family an amount up to 100 yen. Those who have become 
crippled by accident or on account of injury and are unable to return 
to work are given 50 yen by the mill. The same amount is also given 
to those who are crippled, or whose capacity is reduced by an accident, 
when they leave the factory. 

In addition to the regular hospitals at the various mills the Kanega¬ 
fuchi has a sanatorium where workers are sent in special cases to 
recuperate. 

' The girls in the mill barracks are rarely allowed outside the miU 
compound, but mills like the Kanegafuchi and some others have 
erected theater or amusement halls for them and at intervals the 
mill secures a company of Japanese actors or a cinematograph for 
their entertainment. A general garden party for the workers is given 
by some of the mills once a year, and in addition in the spring or 
summer parties of workers may be taken on picnics to some near-by 
place of interest. 


EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS. 

Some of the mills also have educational institutions. About a 
fourth, at least, of the workers are from 10 to 15 years of age and many 
of these come from the country and have little or no education of any 
kind. In almost every mill there is a room in the barracks or a whole 
building that is used as a school, where there is given instruction in 
reading, writing, arithmetic, sewing, cooking, etc. The teachers are 
either qualified public-school teachers, special mill employees, or the 
matrons in charge of the girls. Lessons are given by some mills to 
classes twice daily, at one time for those who have worked during the 
day and at the other for those who have worked during the night; 
but after 12 hours or so of work it is no wonder that this free schooling 
is received with anything but gratitude by the employees. 

The Kanegafuchi has a two-story brick building at its Hyogo mill 
that is used as a school. Technical instruction is given to special 
classes of male operatives who work half time and are instructed the 
other half. This is a free course, but after taking the course the oper¬ 
ative has to work three years with the mill. In this way the mill 
builds up a competent set of foremen and section men and binds them 
to its interests. 


KINDERGARTEN—COMPANY STORES. 

The Kanegafuchi has a kindergarten, which is called ^‘Yochiyen,” 
and an infants’ nursery, which is called the ^‘Nyujihoikusho,” to re¬ 
lieve the married workers of care in connection with their young 
children. These establishments take care of the children while the 
mothers are at work, the '‘Nyujihoikusho ” taking those up to 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 207 

3 years of age and the ^‘Yochiyen’^ those from 3 to 6 years. This 
is done by the mill free of charge. 

Many mills also operate stores, where the workers can buy their 
necessities at lower prices than those ruling elsewhere. 

Some mills spend 5 to 10 per cent of their profits in beneficial insti¬ 
tutions for their workers. As the erection of workers’ quarters is 
stated to average a mill about 2 yen per operative and expenses in 
connection with the securing of an operative are from 3 to 10 yen per 
head, it is seen that operatives cost the mill more than is directly 
shown by the wages paid. On the other hand, owing to compulsory 
insurance schemes, guarantee and savings funds, etc., the worker does 
not receive quite as much wages actually as she does nominally. 

FACTORY LEGISLATION. 

Despite attempts by the authorities of Japan to restrict the hours 
of work in the cotton mills and to regulate night work, especially with 
reference to the employment of women and children, the cotton manu¬ 
facturers have successfully opposed the plan. A tentative law was 
finally forced through in 1911, but there has been no attempt to pro¬ 
mulgate it so that it would go into operation. In Japan a law after 
being passed by the National Diet is not effective until it has been 
promulgated, and the factory law is not the only one that is now on 
the statute books of Japan with no more force than a threat of what 
may some day be made effective. 

In 1886, with the establishment of various industries in Japan, espe¬ 
cially cotton manufacturing, the need was felt of some legal control 
over such matters as labor contracts, the employment of women and 
children, etc., and the Government expressed an opinion that some 
law was needed that would clearly define the legal relation of em¬ 
ployer and employee. However, nothing was done. In 1897, on the 
occasion of the meeting of a high commission for agriculture, com¬ 
merce, and industry,.called ^‘No-sho-ko-kotokaigi,” the matter was 
again brought forward. A proposed factory law was published in 
1898, and republished in 1902, with revisions and additions. The 
public in general was in favor of the proposed law; as also was the 
Japan Cotton Spinners’ Association, which in 1901 had appointed a 
special investigating committee that reported favorably on most of 
the features, but urged that if passed all details should be clearly 
stated in the law and not left to he amplified by means of ministerial 
regulations, as is usually the case with Japanese laws. Owing to 
political conditions while the country was preparing for its war with 
Russia, and later to the war and subsequent conditions, this bill was 
not finally placed before the Diet until the spring of 1910, after some 
changes had been made in the different provisions. 

OPPOSITION OF SPINNERS TO PROPOSED LAW. 

Wlien this proposed law was before a committee of the Diet, the 
Japan Cotton Spinners’ Association opposed it on behalf of the cotton 
industry. Aside from the fact that the proposed law contained few 
definite regulations and left the actual details of its execution to the 
discretion of the ministers, the association fought it because it pro- 



208 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


vided that after five years no child could he emplo^^ed under 14 years 
of and that after 10 years no female could he employed on night 
work. The association stated that the age limit for employment 
should not be higher than 13 and that there should be no prohibition 
of night work for any employee of either sex over 13 years of age. It 
was urged that this was exactly the age at which the children were 
best fitted for spinning. The Japanese mills could not possibly work 
with male labor only, and if night work were prohibited the export 
trade would suffer. Japanese cotton yarns and cloth, it was claimed, 
were succeeding on the Manchurian and Chinese markets in spite of 
the Indian, American, and English competition, though the products 
of foreign mill s were better and their factories had the advantage of 
cheaper raw materials and lower taxes. The principal cause of the 
Japanese success abroad had been the continual day and night work 
in the Japanese mills, which lowered the cost of production. Prohi¬ 
bition of night work, it was urged, would mean the loss of these 
markets to Japanese products and the cotton industry would cease 
to develop. For that reason night work for females could be pro¬ 
hibited only when the industry was as favorably placed as in foreign 
countries in regard to raw material and taxes. 

The Government agreed to take into consideration the views of the 
spinners, and as it was found impossible to obtain a majority in the 
Diet, the Government finally withdrew the bill. 

LAW PASSED BY DIET. 

In 1911 another proposal was brought forward that had been much 
modified, and in spite of the opposition of the association this was 
finally passed on March 28, 1911. This factory law is as follows: 

Imperial Ordinance No. 46, Issued March 28, 1911. 

Article I. The present law shall apply to factories coming under any of the follow¬ 
ing clauses: 

1. MTien a factory employs ordinarily not less than 15 operatives. 

2. When a factory is engaged in injurious work or one that is judged injurious to 
health. 

Factories for which the application of the present law is deemed unnecessary may 
be exempted by imperial ordinance. 

Art. II. Factory owners are forbidden to employ at the works persons who are 
]f.ot more than 12 years of age. However, this does not apply to persons not less than 
10 years of age who are already employed at the time of the enforcement of the present 
law. 

The executive authorities may allow the emploj’-ment of persons not less than 10 
years of age in light and simple kinds of work, subject to specified conditions. 

Art. III. No factory owner is allowed to permit male persons not more than 15 years 
of age and female operatives to work for more than 12 hours a day. 

The Minister of State concerned may, within the limit of 15 years from the date of 
enforcement of the present law, permit the extension of the working hour by not more 
than two hours, according to the nature of the work. 

Even where the different workshops are separately situated, the number of hours 
worked by an employ at each will be added together, in applying the provisions of 
the foregoing two clauses. 

Art. IV. No factory owner is allowed to permit male operatives of not more than 
15 years of age and female operatives to work between the hours of 10 p. m. and 4 a. m. 

Art. V. The foregoing article will not apply to cases coming under the following 
clauses; provided that after the lapse of 15 years from the date of the enforcement ol 
the present law it is forbidden to put to work males who are not full 14 years of age 
and female operatives between the hours of 10 p. m. and 4 a. m.: 




COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 209 

1. When the nature of the work requires that it should be executed without beiner 
held over. 

2. When the nature of the work requires night work. 

3. When owing to special seasons, the nature of the work requires unintewupted 
continuation day and night, and when the operatives are divided into two or more 
groups and required to attend to the work by turn. 

The Minister of State concerned shall determine the kind of works that come under 
the foregoing clauses. 

Art. VI. When the operatives are divided into two or more groups and required to 
work by turn, the provisions mentioned in Article IV shall not apply for the space of 
15 years from the date of the enforcement of the present law. 

Art. VII. Factory owners shall allow for males not more than 15 years of age and 
female operatives at least two holidays per month; and shall give at least four holidays 
when the operatives are divided into two groups and required to attend to the work 
by turn, when there is day and night work at night between 10 p. m. and 4 a. m.; and 
also in the cases coming under subclause 2, clause 1, Article V; and when the duration 
of work in a day exceeds 6 hours a rest of at least 30 minutes and, when it exceeds 10 
hours, that of at least one hour shall be given in an interval of the work. 

When the operatives are divided into two groups and required to attend to work by 
turn between the hours of 10 p. m. and 4 a. m., hours of work for each group shall be 
changed every ten days at least. 

Art. VIII. In the event of natural calamity or other unavoidable occurrence, or 
when it is feared such an occurrence is impending, the Minister of State concerned 
may suspend the application of the provisions in Articles III to V and Article VII,. 
such suspension to apply to specified kinds of work and districts. 

In the event of extraordinary necessity occasioned by unavoidable circumstances, 
a factory owner may, by sending in a report on each occasion to the executive authori¬ 
ties, prolong, within the maximum period of seven days in a month, the hours of work 
for not more than two hours a day. 

For work which requires special activity on account of the season, a factory owner 
may, by previously securing the approval of the executive authorities as to the period, 
prolong for that period the hours of work for not more than one hour within the maxi¬ 
mum limit of 120 days in a year. In this case the provision in the preceding clause 
does not apply to the period for which the approval of the exeqjitive authorities has 
been obtained.. 

Art. IX. Factory owners are forbidden to employ male operatives not more than 15 
years of age or female operatives for cleaning, oiling, inspecting, or repairing a machine 
in motion or the dangerous parts of power transmission appliances; or to fix or take 
off belts or ropes on machines in motion or to do any other dangerous work. 

Art. X. Factory owners are forbidden to employ persons not more than 15 years of 
age in work that requires handling of poisonous or other injurious stuffs, or explosive 
or inflammable substances; or at places where dust or powder is raised to an unusual 
extent or noxious gas is generated, or at other places which are dangerous or are hygien- 
ically injurious. 

Art. XI. The nature of work coming under the two preceding articles will be deter¬ 
mined by the Minister of State concerned. 

The provisions in the foregoing article may, subject to the decision of the Minister of 
State concerned, apply to female operatives of not less than 15 years of age. 

Art. XII. The Minister of State concerned may determine special provisions for 
restricting or forbidding the work by those who are suffering from illness or women 
enceinte. 

Art. XIII. In case a factory, or its accessory buildings or equipment are judged 
risky or are prejudicial to health, morals, or the public interest, the executive authori¬ 
ties may, according to ordinance previously determined, order the owner to carry out 
suitable measures of prevention, or may order the suspension of whole or part from use. 

Art. XIV. Officials in charge are authorized to inspect a factory or its accessory 
buildings. They will, in such cases, carry testimonial evidence establishing their 
identity. 

Art. XV. When, in the discharge of his duties and from no gross fault of his own, 
an operative is injured or contracts illness, or dies, the factory owner must give 
relief, according to regulations specified by imperial ordinance, to the operative or 
to his family. 

Art. XVI. In regard to the personal registration of apprentices or those about to be¬ 
come such, a certification free from charge may be demanded of the register by the 
apprentices or those about to become such, or by factory owners or their legal repre¬ 
sentatives, or by overseers of factories. 

14 


48895°—14- 



210 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN 


Art. XVII. Matters relating to the engagement or discharge of operatives, to the 
control of employment agencies, and those relating to apprentices will be determined 
by imperial ordinance. 

Art. XVIII. Factory owners may appoint a factory overseer invested with full 
power in regard to the factory. 

When a factory owner does not reside in a place coming under jurisdiction of this 
law, he must appoint a factory overseer. 

For the appointment of a factory overseer the approval of the authorities is required. 
This provision does not apply when the selection is made from among the directors or 
managing officials of the company, or those who, according to law or ordinance, rep¬ 
resent juridical persons, or representatives of such persons. 

Art. XIX. Factory overseers mentioned in the preceding article are to represent 
the factory owners in regard to the application of the present law or ordinance per¬ 
taining to it; however, this may not apply to cases coming under Article XV. 

In the event of a factory owner being a minor not possessing equal competency as 
an adult in regard to business or is one who is declared incompetent, or in the case of a 
juridical person not possessing a factory overseer, the preceding clause shall apply to a 
juridical representative of such factory owner, or his directors or managing officials; also 
to officials representing the company, its directors or managing officials, or those who 
represent it according to law or ordinance. 

Art. XX. Anyone infringing the provisions of Articles II to V, VII, IX, or X, or 
disobeying an injunction issued in virtue of Article VIII, shall be subject to a fine 
not exceeding 500 yen. 

Art. XXI. When without a justifiable cause, the inspection of a competent official 
ii^ refused or obstructed, or when reply is not made to his questions, such person will 
be subject to a fine not exceeding 300 yen. 

Art. XXII. When his representative, the head of a family, its members, persons 
residing with the family, employees or others engaged in the work have committed an 
act contrary to the present law or ordinances pertaining to it, a factory owner or his 
representative, as specified in Article XIX, may not plead innocence on the ground 
that he was not cognizant of such act. However this may not apply to the case when 
he has taken suitable steps concerning the management of the factory. 

Factory owners or their representatives according to Article XIX shall not be ex¬ 
empted from penalty specified in the law on the ground of their not having known the 
age of operatives. This shall not apply when the factory owners, or their representa¬ 
tives according to Article XIX, or employment agent have been freed from fault. 

Art. XXIII. Any person who is dissatisfied with the ruling of the executive authori¬ 
ties ki virtue of the present law may file a petition; when he thinks that his right has 
been illegally infringed, he may apply for administrative litigation. 

Art. XXIV. For factories not coming under Article,I, but using motive power, the 
Minister of State concerned may apply the provisions of Articles tX, XI XIII, XIV, 
xvni to XXIII. 

Art. XXV. The present law or ordinances pertaining to it correspondingly apply 
to Government or public factories, excepting provisions in regard to the factory 
overseer and penalty. 

In regard to Government factories the offices that respectively control them carry 
cut, in accordance with the present law or ordinances pertaining to it, duties that fall 
within the purview of the executive authorities. 

SUPPLEMENTARY RULE. 

The date of putting this law into effect will be determined by imperial ordinance. 

This law has been opposed by Japanese mill men as the first step 
toward regulations that may in time lessen the large profits they have 
been accustomed to make. In most of its provisions, however, it has 
been carefully modified so as to make few changes at the beginning. 

Japanese spinning mills all work night and day with two shifts, 
and two or three of the weave mills do the same. Most weave mills 
work about 12 hours, though a few work longer hours. There is now 
no minirnum age limit, and though the larger mills claim that they 
do not wish to employ children under 12, a fairly large number are 
actually employed on doffing and such work who are not much over 
10 years of age, and some of them even younger. 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


211 


LAW NOT YET IN FORCE. 

The proposed law, which has not yet been promulgated, provides 
that mills can not employ children under 12, except those who are 
employed at the time of promulgation and are 10 years of age or 
over. This is modified further to say that the authorities may 
permit the employment of children of 10 years or over for light work. 
The law prohibits night work for all females and for males under 15, 
but modifies this by saying that where the operatives are employed 
in two or more shifts (as is the case with night work in the cotton 
nulls) this provision shall not actually take effect for 15 years after 
promulgation. 

In December, 1913, according to the daily papers of Tokyo, the 
Department of Agriculture and Commerce asked the Department of 
Finance for 50,000 yen to make the necessary preparations for the 
enforcement of this law by starting to train inspectors, etc. The 
Department of Finance rejected this request on the ground that the 
time was not ripe to initiate this law, and that its enforcement at the 
present time might dampen the enterprising spirit of business men, a 
possibility that ought to be studiously avoided. They therefore de¬ 
cided in favor of postponing the execution of the law and disapproved 
any outlay looking to its enforcement. 

The latest news is that the authorities are considering promulgating 
the law in 1915, and if this is done the cotton mills of Japan will have 
to stop night work after 1930. 



CAPITALIZATION AND PROFITS OF MILLS. 

During 1913 the Japanese cotton mills made larger profits than 
have fallen to their lot since the prosperous period in 1905-1907. 
The industry in Japan has several disadvantages to contend with, 
but there are stronger elements in its favor, and in spite of periods 
of depression the industry, in the long run, has been a very profitable 
one. 

COST OF MILLS AND EQUIPMENT. 

The first cost of cotton mills in Japan is high as compared with 
other countries. For an ordinary ring-spinning mill, without any 
weaving, the first cost complete with buildings, machinery, and equip¬ 
ment, in England is about 32s. 6d. ($7.91) per spindle; and mule¬ 
spinning mills in England cost only 27s. 6d. ($6.69) per spindle. In 
the United States a ring-spinning mill on ordinary counts averages 
about $11 per spindle and in Germany about 55 marks ($13). In 
Japan the first cost complete of a ring-spinning mill is stated to be 
about 50 yen, say, $25 per spindle. The figure for Japan is probably 
not exceeded anywhere in the world, except Brazil. 

It should be stated, however, that much of the expense in estab¬ 
lishing a mill in Japan is not necessary in all other countries. For 
instance, the first cost of 50 yen per spindle is usually made up of 
about 25 yen for machinery and not over 10 yen for mill buildings, 
including warehouses, and the land necessary therefor; the remainder 
is taken up in the land, houses, hospital, dining quarters, and kitchen, 
etc., for housing and caring for the help. Japanese mills usually take 
up much space and have large grounds. Most of the mills are one 
story, though the few located in the more central part of towns may 
be two to four stories. In addition to the space taken up by the 
mill proper with its warehouses, fuel supply, etc., there is usually 
inclosed with the mill a very large space which contains the dwellings 
and other buildings for the operatives, most of whom are women and 
girls who are brought from a distance. The mill buildings are of 
brick, with floors of stone flags, brick, or wood, but the surrounding 
dwellings, etc., are of wood. 

The weave sheds are of brick and always one story, with the regu¬ 
lation saw-tooth roof. Owing largely to the necessity for large grounds 
and ])uildings, the first cost, like that of the spinning mills, is high. 
The first cost of a weave shed complete, to make ordinary goods on 
plain looms, without spinning, is about £36 (say, $175) in England, 
1,000 marks ($238) in (jermany, and about $245 in the United States. 
These are the costs complete, without figuring in any land, but the 
cost of the land necessary for the mill proper would be a compara¬ 
tively small item. In Japan the first cost of a weave shed complete, 
with the larger amount of land, the houses, etc., that are necessary 
for retaining the operatives, is about 800 yen (say, $400) per loom. 

212 



COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


218 


EQUIPMENT LARGELY ENGLISH. 

Most of the machinery is of English make. The first mill in Japan 
used Platt Bros.’ machinery and this firm (for whom the Mitsui Bus- 
san Kaisha is agent in Japan) still supplies nearly all of the spinning 
machinery. Dr. Hikotaro Nishi,in his work on the Japanese cotton¬ 
spinning industry, states that of some 1,830,000 spindles in the first 
half of 1909, about 1,600,000 came from Platt Bros. & Co., of Oldham. 
This is about 87 per cent of the total. Comparatively small amounts 
were supplied by Dobson & Barlow, of Bolton; Asa Lees, of Oldham; 
J. Hetherington & Sons, Brooks & Doxey, Howard & Bullough, and 
others. The ring-spinning frames that make up the bulk of the 
equipment are all on the English style, with one leather-covered, 
weighted front roller and two bare iron self-weighted back rollers; 
the frames are also long, usually 360 to 400 spindles to a frame. 
There do not appear to be any American spinning frames in Japan. 
The number of mule spindles has decreased as the number of ring 
spindles increased, and the Japanese now make 60s and even 80s on 
ring spindles. The other machinery in the spinning mills is also of 
English make, with the exception of a few twisters, winders, etc., of 
American make. 

The great majority of the looms and other machinery in the weave 
sheds are of English make, and the overpick loom is the most widely 
used. There are a few American looms, but at a mill at Osaka I was 
shown 600 Draper automatic looms that were being operated 2 
looms to a weaver with the batteries and warp-stop motions removed. 
The manager stated that their yarn was not strong enough to use 
the automatic attachments, as these required more perfect yarn than 
they could make with their mixings, and also that their loom fixers 
were not skilled enough to keep the looms adjusted; hence high- 
priced labor-saving machinery is now put to the same work as com¬ 
mon looms. 

COST OF MACHINERY. 

The manager of a company that operates mills in both China and 
Japan gave me the prices paid for English machinery for additions 
to its spinning mills in both countries at the beginning of 1913, as 
follows, the prices being for delivery in Shanghai and Kobe, including 
import duty and landing charges: 


Machines. 

Price 
delivered 
in Shang¬ 
hai. 

Price 
delivered 
in Kobe. 

Machmes. 

Price 
delivered 
in Shang¬ 
hai. 

Price 
delivered 
in Kobe. 

Hopper bale opener. 

Hopper feeder. 

Crighton opener. 

Exhaust opener. 

Intermediate lapper. 

Finisher lapper. 

Card. 

Yen. 
888 
870 
903 
2,559 
1,364 
1,402 
929 

Yen. 

1,034 

1,013 
1,052 
2,982 
1,593 
1,633 
1,083 

Drawing frame. 

Slubber, 80 spindles. 

Intermediate, 114 spindles.... 
Roving frame, 144 spindles.... 
Ring-spinning frames, 400 
spindles. 

Yen. 

1,874 

1,231 

1,271 

1,219 

1,675 

Yen. 

2,183 
1,434 
1,481 
1,420 

1,952 


In giving these the manager stated that at the end of 1913 the prices 
quoted by the makers, Howard & Bullough, were 20 per cent higher, 
which is ascribed to higher materials, wages, and freights. The mana¬ 
ger also said that the highest wages they paid an ordinary operative 
(that is, excluding the foremen) was 50 sen a day in Japan and the 






























214 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


equivalent of 30 sen a day in China. This difference in cost of ma¬ 
chinery and labor should make China a strong competitor of the 
Japanese in the future, if the Chinese mills can get their help trained 
and their tariff raised. 


POWER MACHINERY. 

Not only the mill machinery proper but the engines and boilers, 
etc., are practically all imported from England, the usual boiler being 
the internal-fired Lancashire shell type. The majority of the mills 
use steam power direct, driving from the flywheel with ropes, but a 
few now use steam turbines for generating electric power and the 
director of one of the largest mills stated that this is regarded as the 
coming method. One mill uses gas engines and two use waterpower 
direct. The Japan Cotton Spinners’ Association shows an average 
of 2,118,402 spindles in operation during the first half of 1913, and 
an actual horsepower developed in the spinning mills of 68,135, which 
is 31.1 spindles to the horsepower. Of this total, 63,468 horsepower 
was steam and only 4,667 water or electric. The coal used during 
this half-year by the spinning mills ^mounted to 763,358,956 pounds, 
which is stated as being 3.489 pounds per horsepower per hour. 
This coal was stated as averaging 25.76 yen per 10,000 pounds, which 
is $2,874 per long ton. The price of coal in Japan is rising steadily. 

COST OF COTTON. 

Indian, American, and Chinese cotton cost the mills in Japan more 
than they do the mills in the countries where cotton is raised. 
This disadvantage, however, is overcome by mixing the different 
kinds so that on coarse counts for goods such as sheetings and drills 
the cost of the raw material is less in a Japanese mill than in an Ameri¬ 
can mill (the latter using all American cotton), though the quality is 
not so good; at the same time the yarn and cloth made from these 
mixings is superior in quality to that from Indian and Chinese mills, 
which on most goods use only their native cottons. In addition to 
lowering their primary cost by mixings, the Japanese mills, like the 
English and Indian mills, gain in the selling weight of their yarn by 
the addition of moisture from conditioning; their coarse cloths are not 
only more cheaply constructed than the American, by using a few 
less threads, but most of them are also sized to a considerable extent. 

TAXES AND INTEREST. 

Taxes in Japan, which were raised after the Chinese War and much 
more after the Russian War, are now very high. In addition to the 
regular taxes, there is a 10 per cent textile consumption tax that 
must be paid by the wholesalers, and, though it is not collected on 
goods for export, it tends to hamper business. There is at present 
an extended agitation for the removal of the business tax, the textile 
consumption tax, and the transit tax, but with the present state of 
finances it does not appear that the Government can renounce the 
revenue thus brought in. 

Interest rates in Japan are still high as compared with those ruling 
in England or even the United States. Generally the working capital 
of the mills is practically used up, especially during the months of May, 
June, and July, and in general from March to September, in carrying 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


215 


cotton, and large loans have to be obtained from the banks at com¬ 
paratively high rates of interest to carry on the business. Help 
has been extended by special Government banks which grant lower 
rates than the regular banks for floating bonds, financing exports, 
etc., but the general high rates of interest have been a great draw¬ 
back to the industry. In spite of large profits made during the 
Russian War boom times and during 1912 and 1913, the mills, with 
the exception of the few largest, have to use borrowed working capital 
to a large extent. 

Japanese labor is cheap but inefficient. In their opposition to the 
enforcement of a law regulating night work and the work of women 
and children the manufacturers claimed that their chief means of 
maintaining competition in foreign markets was their ability to work 
continuously night and day and thus reduce costs by getting the maxi¬ 
mum output from high-priced plants that labored under high taxes 
and high interest charges. 

FINANCIAL RECORD. 

Since the middle of 1901 the Japan Cotton Spinners’ Association 
has published semiannually statistics showing the financ'al status of 
all the limited-liability companies in the cotton manufacturing indus¬ 
try. These returns do not include all the mills, because a few are 
owned privately, but the amount of business not included is a small 
proportion of the total and the figures practically show the status of 
the industry as a whole. The figures for the 12 years, from the mid¬ 
dle of 1901 to the middle of 1913, are as follows: 


Half years. 

Num¬ 
ber of 
com¬ 
panies. 

Capital. 

Reserve 

fund. 

Liabilities. 

Permanent 

invest¬ 

ment. 

Depre¬ 

ciation 

written 

off. 

Authorized. 

Paid-up. 

1901; 


Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

.Spnonrl .. . 

56 

40,040,400 

34,645,435 

3,712,384 




1902: 






f'irst . 

54 

37,430,400 

33,280,442 

4,094,139 




Sftnonrl 

46 

35' 743' 400 

31,659,521 

4; 232; 214 




1903: 







Fir<;l 

39 

36,030,900 

31,628,970 

4,502,372 




RAnnnrl 

40 

37' 430; 900 

32,904,716 

5,122,192 




1904: 







First 

38 

36,750,900 

32,342,873 

5,602,692 




.R Af'fin fi 

37 

35; 900^ 900 

32; 262; 230 

6,080,742 




1905: 





First. 

38 

39,018,400 

34,469,618 

8,031,601 

5,751,776 

40,532,458 

2,115,881 

Second. 

35 

39,338,850 

34,331,700 

10,488,917 

5,565,837 

39,048,716 

2,241,915 

1906: 








First. 

35 

42,988,850 

35,468,958 

13,299,737 

3,875,869 

38,043,242 

2,489,847 

Second. 

32 

44,188,850 

36; 546; .350 

16,205,504 

3; 995,275 

37,298,315 

2,042,927 

1907: 








First. 

35 

83,264,750 

50,932,238 

19,120,271 

3,160,866 

43, 736,965 

1,503,757 

Second. 

27 

75,121,800 

52,754,125 

21,728,094 

5,082,629 

44,478,855 

1,259,310 

1908: 








First. 

28 

86,076,800 

57,193,538 

23,120,646 

8,101,603 

51,158, 744 

332,397 

Second. 

27 

85,616,800 

57,595,385 

23,646,256 

11,637,640 

57,286,769 

628,428 

1909: 








F irst. 

27 

85,816,800 

58,041,072 

24,075,380 

17,626,686 

68,833,472 

1,137,406 

Second. 

27 

95,066,800 

62,759,000 

25,090,237 

16,739,174 

82,451,512 

2,105,903 

1910: 








First. 

26 

92,566,800 

64,034,540 

25,980,335 

23,768,543 

91,163,244 

756,341 

Second. 

26 

92,566,800 

65,209,013 

26,490,926 

21,697,424 

95,011,924 

706,020 

1911; 

First. 

24 

87,187,650 

61,541,945 

25,879,277 

24,445,804 

93,980,925 

1,170,852 

Second. 

25 

88,587,650 

63,408,868 

26,351,506 

21,225,898 

96,211,801 

945,650 

1912; 








First.... 

24 

85,987,650 

61,839,992 

26,751,202 

20,277,265 

96,764,768 

1,028,509 

Second. 

25 

92,658,900 

68,439,245 

27,834,430 

20,089,219 

96,439,900 

4,132.783 

1913: 








First. 

25 

100,758,900 

75,722,484 

30,092,279 

20,515,178 

96,336,770 

5,014,724 
























































216 


COTTON GOODS *IN JAPAN. 


Half years. 

Amount 

brought 

forward. 

Net 

profit. 

Dividend 

declared. 

Amount 
placed to 
reserves. 

Amount 

carried 

forward. 

Rate of 
dividend 
per 

annum. 

1901: 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Per cent. 

Renond... . 


1,382,168 

1,078,305 

440,107 


6.2 

1902: 



10.8 

First . . 


1,877,058 

1,797, 445 

563,436 


Second. . 


' 377 ', 510 

714,170 

201,676 


4.5 

1903: 





8.1 

First . . 


1,601,294 

1,876,439 

1,288,723 

1,346,711 

458,312 

496,045 


Second. . 



8.2 

1904: 





6.6 

First... 


1,650,301 

2,863,421 

1,066,081 

1,550,9a3 

487,774 


Second. 


806,152 


8.5 

1905: 




17.1 

First. 

524,142 

5,692,762 

2,951,957 

■2,486,267 

778,680 

Second. 

1,109,296 

7,370,339 

3 ; 765; 490 

3,192,951 

1,521,194 

21.9 

1906; 



22.1 

First. 

1,521,195 

7,076,903 
7,886,391 

3,903,994 

3,045,810 
3,031,494 

1,648,294 
2,002,558 

Second. 

1,610,070 

4,462,409 

24.4 

1907: 



First. 

2,038,825 

8,648,926 
7,690,491 

5,010,674 
5,682,311 

3,115,954 

2,594,457 

19.7 

Second. 

2', 572 ; 032 

1,910,435 

2 ; 669; 777 

21.5 

1908: 



First. 

2,557,613 
2,461,033 

3,373,014 

3,282,575 

630,727 

2,343,475 

2,425,252 

11.5 

Second. 

3 ', 257', 739 

2 ; 933 ; 864 

577,656 

10.2 

1909; 



First. 

2,124,627 
2,603,861 

4,528,701 

3,372,730 

964,208 

960,242 

2,316,390 
2,751,601 

11.6 

Second. 

4,651,674 

3,550,692 

11.3 

1910: 



First. 

1,400,347 
1,170,046 

2,962,767 
1,249,250 

3,465,028 
2,694,193 

775,033 
431,320 

549,047 
369,237 

10.8 

Second. 

8.3 

1911: 





First. 

93,192 
302,080 

3,886,754 

3,136,993 

649,996 

327,958 

10.2 

Second. 

3,890,887 

3 ; 283; 118 

597 ; 028 

312,821 

10.4 

1912; 

First. 

2,333,904 

5,698,730 
8,934,670 

3,801,892 
4,758,405 

1,330,219 

3,150,323 
5,036,848 

12.3 

Second. 

3 ; 150,523 

2 ; 289; 940 

13.9 

.1913: 



First. 

5,044,087 

9,633, 832 

5,439,897 

2,604,680 

6,a33,342 

14.4 




The difference between the amounts shown as brought forward 
and those shown as carried forward from the preceding period is due 
to the adjustment of working capital required and the reserve fund. 

FOUR ERAS IN INDUSTRY’S HISTORY. 

During the early years of the twentieth century the Japanese 
cotton industry passed through four distinct periods: (1) A period 
of depression, (2) the ‘‘Golden Era” of the inclustry, (3) a period of 
reaction and dullness, and (4) another period of advancing prosperity. 

The Japanese cotton-spinning industry had no appreciable finan¬ 
cial success from the time of the Boxer troubles in 1900 up to the 
latter part of 1904, though there had been a certain improvement 
during 1903. The data of the association in this line run back to 
only the middle of 1901. The improvement began after the middle 
of 1904, but did not show itself fully until the next semiannual 
period. Taking the 3^ years from June 30, 1901, to December 
31, 1904, the paid-up capital of the limited-liability companies 
averaged 32,674,312 yen, and on this there were made average 
yearly net profits of 3,322,340 yen, or 10.17 per cent, while the aver¬ 
age yearly dividends amounted to 2,526,382 yen, or 7.73 per cent. 

During the boom that followed the initial successes of the Jap¬ 
anese in the Russian War, the industry enjoyed the most profitable 
period of its history. Tnis period is usually considered as lasting 
from the middle of 1904 to the middle of 1907, as in the latter part of 
.1907 unmistakable signs of an ebb in the tide of prosperity appeared. 





















































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


217 


However, the period may be taken as embracing the years 1905, 
1906, and 1907, and during this time the paid-up capital averaged 
40,750,498 yen, on which were made average yearly net profits of 
14,788,604 yen, or 36.29 per cent, while the average yearly divi¬ 
dends amounted to 8,592,278 yen, or 21.08 per cent. 

During the years 1908, 1909, 1910, and 1911 there was a dull 
period, during which the mills ran much short time. During these 
four years the paid-up capital averaged 61,222,920 yen, and on this 
there were made average yearly net profits of 6,950,196 yen, or 11.35 
per cent, while the average yearly clividends amounted to 6,429,798 
yen, or 10.5 per cent. 

From the beginning of 1912 the tide has turned and there have 
been increasingly large profits. During the 1^ years from January 
1, 1912, to June 30, 1913, the paid-up capital averaged 68,667,240 
yen, and on this there were made average yearly net profits of 
16,178,154 yen, or 23.56 per cent, while the average yearly divi¬ 
dends amounted to 9,333,4^ yen, or 13.59 per cent. 

DEPRECIATION AND RESERVE FUNDS. 

During the fimt period the reserve funds averaged only 4,763,819 
yen, and as a large part of the profits was paid out as dividends 
the amount carried forward at the end of each semiannual period 
was small, averaging only 493,357 yen. During the second period 
the reserve funds were largely augmented and averaged 14,812,354 
yen; the liabilities were also reduced and in addition to writing off 
a considerable amount as depreciation and installing new machinery 
and equipment, an average of 2,797,151 yon was carried forward 
at the end of each semiannual accounting for working capital. Dur¬ 
ing the third period the total reserve funds increased to an average 
of 25,079,320 yen, but the liabilities were increased in much larger 
proportion, and the amounts written off for depreciation were greatly 
reduced. Some of the mills showed losses and others were able to 
pay their dividentls only by drawing on their reserve funds. During 
the fourth period the reserve funds have been increased, the liabilities 
reduced, increasingly large amounts written off for depreciation, 
and increasingly large amounts carried forward as working capital, 
in addition to raising the dividend rates. During the third period 
the amount carried forward semiannually as working capital 
averaged only 698,276 yen, but during the fourth period it has 
averaged 2,074,946 yen. This is an important factor in reducing the 
cost of production, for it relieves tlie industry of much of the heavy 
interest paid on borrowed working capital. 

The amount written off for depreciation of buildings and machinery 
varies greatly from year to year and depends entirely on the condi¬ 
tion of the industrv. Before the Russian War most of the mills 
paid but slight attention to this item, but the tendency now is to 
write off substantial amounts whenever financial conditions permit 
and to keep the plants more up to date by accumulating reserve 
funds with which to replace worn-out and obsolete machinery and to 
keep the buildings and equipment in good shape. Owing to the 
. continuous operation at high speed night and day and the lack of 
skilled and careful workmen to attend to the upkeep, machinery 
depreciates in Japanese mills rather rapidly. The mills to-day 


218 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


have a considerable amount of machinery that ought to be on the 
scrap heap, but the larger mills have set the standard for replacing 
worn-out machinery, and the tendency is for the others to follow 
their example whenever they have very large profits. 

According to the commercial law of Japan a limited-liability com¬ 
pany must set aside at least 5 per cent of its profits as a reserve 
fund before any dividend can be declared. In addition to this 
general reserve fund some of the mills have special reserve funds 
of various kinds for equalization of dividends, pensioning of em¬ 
ployees, and other purposes. 

According to the commercial law a limited-liability company is 
recognized as a legal body when the stockholders have paid in one- 
fourth of the capital subscribed; the consent of the Government as 
well as of the stockholders is required for the issuance of bonds; and 
every company is required to make up a statement of its accounts 
at least once a year. The cotton-manufacturing companies, how¬ 
ever, all make their statements twice a year. The periods vary but 
they are usually for the six months ended May 31 and November 31, 
respectively. 

DISTRIBUTION OF PROFITS. 

In the foregoing table compiled by the Japan Cotton Spinners’ 
Association several items were not given for years prior to 1905. 
Starting with 1905, however, I have made up from this table the 
following statement, in order to bring out more clearly certain 
features: 


Half years. 

Proportion to paid- 
up capital of— 

Amount 
brought 
forward 
plus net 
profits. 

Amounts 

dis¬ 

tributed. 

Division 

of amounts dis¬ 
tributed. 

Net 

profits. 

Divi¬ 

dends. 

Divi¬ 

dends. 

Reserve 

funds. 

Carried 

forward. 

1905: 

Per cent. 

Per cent. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Per cent. 

Per cent. 

Per cent. 

First. 

16.51 

8.56 

6,216,904 

6,216,904 

47 

40 

13 

Second. 

21.47 

10.97 

8,479,635 

8,479,635 

44 

38 

18 

1906: 








First. 

19.95 

11.01 

8,598,098 

8,598,098 

45 

35 

20 

Second. 

21.58 

12.21 

9,496,461 

9,496,461 

47 

32 

21 

1907: 








First. 

16.98 

9.84 

10,687, 751 

10, 721,085 

47 

29 

24 

Second. 

14.58 

10. 77 

10,262,523 

10,262,523 

55 

19 

26 

1908: 








First. 

5.90 

5.74 

5,930,627 

6,256,777 

53 

10 

37 

Second. 

5.66 

5.09 

5,718,772 

5,936,772 

49 

10 

41 

1909: 






First. 

7.80 

5.81 

6,653,328 

6,653,328 

51 

14 

35 

Second. 

7.41 

5.65 

7,255,535 

7,262,535 

49 

13 

38 

1910: 






First. 

4.63 

5.41 

4,363,114 

4,789,108 

72 

16 

12 

Second. 

1.92 

4.13 

2,419,298 

3,494, 750 

77 

12 

11 

1911: 






First. 

6.32 

5.10 

3,979,946 

4,114,947 

76 

16 

8 

Second. 

6.14 

5.18 

4,192,967 

4,192,967 

78 

14 

8 

1912: 







First. 

9.22 

6.15 

8,032,634 

8,282,434 

46 

16 

38 

Second. 

13.05 

6 .95 

12,085,193 

12,085,193 

39 

19 

42 

1913: 






First. 

12.72 

7,18 

14,677,919 

14,677,919 

37 

18 

4.1 




































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


219 


During the prosperous period of 1905-1907 the mills, while declar¬ 
ing large dividends, were able to place large amounts to the reserve 
funds and also to carry forward large amounts as working cJipital. 
During the period of depression in 1908-1911 it took most of the profits 
to pay the dividends, leaving a small amount to be placed to reserves, 
and a continually decreasing amount was carried forward for use as 
working capital, which means that the mills had to borrow heavily. 
Most of this time the mills had to draw on their reserve funds to make 
out the amounts required. Durhig the last year and a half (January 
1, 1912, to June 30, 1913) the profits were so great that the larger divi¬ 
dends absorbed a much smaller proportion of the total. Larger 
amounts have been carried to reserves and much larger amounts 
carried forward for use as working capital. It is evident that the 
financial position of the mills has greatly improved since 1911. 

The dividend percentage above given is only half that shown in the 
association statistics; but it is here given in actual percentage of the 
paid-up capital, while in the association’s figures the semiannual 
dividend is stated in terms of the rate per annum. Thus, when a 
company in Japan pubhshes a statement showing a dividend of 30 
per cent during one-half of the year and of 20 per cent during the next 
half, the actual dividend rate for the whole year is not 50 per cent, 
but 25 per cent. I mention this as there is sometimes confusion from 
the way such results are stated. 

PRESENT STATUS OF INDUSTRY. 

The Japanese industry as a whole is now on a much better financial 
footing than ever before, and it is also more conservatively managed. 
Before the Russian War a majority of the mills paid out most of their 
semiannual profits as dividends, and whenever the tide ebbed many 
were stranded for lack of working capital. Many of the share¬ 
holders then, and even to-day, owned many more shares than their 
financial status warranted. They borrowed money on stock with 
which to buy more, and then borrowed on this to increase their hold¬ 
ings still further. Any decrease in the market quotations for miU 
shares meant that they had to put up more collateral with the banks, 
hence they exerted strong pressure on the directors to pay as large 
dividends as possible, not only for the sake of the money received, 
but to keep up the value of the shares. During the prosperous times 
after the Russian War and during the present boom the mills have 
been able to withstand this demand for dividends to the extent of 
conserving a large proportion of the net profits for working capital and 
for reserves ai d thus to improve their financial status. The average 
rate of dividend during 1912 was 12.1 per cent, and it will probably 
average about 14^ per cent for 1913. But for the growing conserva¬ 
tism and financial knowledge of the directors .the outgo in dividends 
would have been much larger, as the net profits in 1912 averaged 
22.27 per cent and probably averaged for 1913 considerably over 25 
per cent. 


220 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN 


OPERATIONS DURING FIRST HALF OF 1913. 

The Japan Cotton Spinners’ Association gives the financial status 
and results of the limited liability companies, including the Naniwa, 
for the first half of 1913 as follows: 


Companies. 


Kanegafuchi. 

Miye. 

Fuji Gas. 

Settsu. 

Osaka Godo. 

Osaka. 

Nippon. 

Tokyo. 

Amagasaki. 

Kishiwada. 

Fukushima. 

Nisshin. 

Kurashiki. 

Wakayama. 

Sakai. 

Naigai Wata. 

Tokyo Calico. 

Nippon Seifu.... 

Ehime. 

Temma Orimono 

Sanuki. 

Matsuyama. 

Osaka Orimono.. 

Sanyo. 

Ki-Yo Shokufu.. 
Naniwa. 

Total. 


Capital. 

Reserve 

Liabili- 

Permanent 

Deprecia¬ 

tion 

written off. 

Authorized. 

Paid-up. 

fund. 

ties. 

investment. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

15,927,650 

12,646,290 

7,155,275 

6,000,000 

22,311,839 

300,000 

. 10,250,000 

7,768,450 

4,726,913 

10,695,530 

500,000 

16,000,000 

11,999,250 

2,618,912 

3,000,000 

14,579,918 

117,580 

3,500,000 

2,652,800 

3,350,000 

100,000 

2,549,567 

200,000 

4,000,000 

4,000,000 

1,048,000 

955,900 

2,375,830 

644,251 

5,000,000 

4,687,500 

1,900,000 

2,025,000 

6,254,228 

310,000 

2,750,000 

2,750,000 

1,421,394 

350,000 

4,415,476 

120,590 

4,800,000 

4,800,000 

288,759 

850,000 

6,100,334 

80,000 

2,062,561 

5,000,000 

2,840,000 

2,132,242 

900,000 

1,220,855 

2,400,000 

1,799,725 

1,377,000 

1,314,107 

170,000 

1,356,250 
10,000,000 

1,356,000 

3,500,000 

1,050,000 

950,000 

175,000 

1,000,000 

1,921,353 

4,085,060 

849,913 

120,000 

l'500^000 

510,000 

230,000 

430,000 

70,242 

1,300,000 

1,300,000 

344,506 

2,003,100 

100,000 

1,200,000 

900,000 

403,118 

1,053,464 

40,000 

5,-000,000 

3,125,000 

1,883,206 

915,564 

3,392,984 

75,000 

2,000,000 

2,000,000 

107,000 

500,000 

2,495,066 

10,000 

2,500,000 

2,313,469 

180,045 

2,995,149 

5,086,633 

875,000 

568,750 

35,000 

539,633 

10,000 

1,000,000 

950,000 

194,000 

222,830 

1,329,485 

20,000 

450,000 

390,000 

156,400 

78,075 

20,000 

750,000 

375,000 

169,600 

40,735 

299,224 

2,000 

700,000 

700,000 

16,300 

692,051 

4,500 

1,000,000 

400,000 

3,500 


185,384 

3,000 

500,000 
1,000,000 

500,000 

350,000 

56,689 

5,000 


356,301 

151,360 

35,000 

100,758,900 

75,722,234 

31,207,859 

20,515,178 

96,336,770 

5,014,724 


Companies. 

Amount 

brought 

forward. 

Net 

profit. 

Dividend 

declared. 

Amount 
placed to 
reserves. 

Amount 

carried 

forward. 

Rate of 
dividend 
per armum. 


Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Per cent. 

Kanegafuchi. 

1,204,570 

1,771,524 

1,011,703 

350,000 

1,614,391 

16.0 

Miye. 

655,537 

1,312,923 

601,624 

500,000 

866,836 

16.0 

Fuji Gas. 

551,011 

1,165,193 

696,000 

137,080 

883,124 

12.0 

Settsu. 

599,718 

740,613 

366,150 

150,000 

824,181 

13.0 

Osaka Godo. 

224,914 

509,011 

178,000 

330,000 

225,925 

16.0 

Osaka. 

220,331 

576,157 

328,125 

225,000 

243,363 

14.0 

Nippon. 

71,455 

330,281 

220,000 

60,000 

121,736 

16.0 

Tokyo. 

30,322 

307,817 

240,000 

65,000 

33,139 

10.0 

Amagasaki. 

329,579 

533,777 

261,150 

70,000 

532,206 

30.0 

Kishiwada. 

135,663 

360,030 

237,000 

100,000 

158,693 

30.0 

Fukushima. 

176,911 

353,805 

176,312 

160,000 

194,404 

26.0 

Nisshin. 

55,986 

193,146 

140,000 

34,000 

75,132 

8.0 

Kurashiki. 

107,241 

175,495 

75,720 

80,000 

127,016 

16.0 

Wakayama. 

140,366 

297,331 

195,000 

100,000 

142,697 

30.0 

Sakai. 

148,059 

172,376 

90,000 

30,000 

200,435 

20.0 

Naigai Wata. 

106,743 

355,278 

302,000 

50,000 

no; 021 

20.0 

Tokyo Calico. 

20,084 

114,295 

93,750 

21,500 

19,129 

10.0 

Nippon Seifu. 

95,571 

a 47,923 



47,648 


Ehime. 

61;078 

53'806 

28,875 

10,000 

76,009 

10.0 

Temma Orimono. 

22,982 

101,186 

52,000 

45,000 

27,168 

«>10.0 

Sanuki. 

37,396 

28,414 

32,738 

1,700 

3i;372 

18.0 

Matsuyama. 

10,343 

32,013 

18,750 

6,000 

17,606 

10.0 

Osaka Orimono. 

14,687 

103,768 

42,000 

60,400 

16,055 

12.0 

Sanyo. 

10,419 

23,978 

13,000 

2,000 

19 ;397 

8.0 

Ki-Yo Shokufu. 

5,882 

59,286 

40,000 

15,000 

10,168 

16.0 

Naniwa. 

7,239 

10,252 


2,000 

15,491 







Total. 

5,044,087 

9,633,832 

5,439,897 

2,604,680 

6,633,342 

14.4 


■ Loss, 


b The preferred stock of the Temma Orimono paid 12 per cent, 













































































































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


*221 


. GOOD RESULTS FOR ENTIRE YEAR. 

The above table shows the great prosperity that the Japanese cotton¬ 
manufacturing industry is now enjoying. During the first half of 1913 
only one company lost money, while 3l others declared dividends at 
the rate of 8 to 30 per cent per annum, and their net profits were con¬ 
siderably larger. This condition of affairs remained the same during 
the second half of 1913, when all companies seem to have declared the 
same rate of dividend as in the first half, except the Osaka Godo, 
which increased its rate from 16 per cent for the first half to 18 per 
cent for the second, an average of 17 per cent for the year. As these 
latter accounts are not all available in detail at this writing, I have to 
give the table for the first half of 1913 only. For the Kanegafuchi, 
however, the results for the second half of 1913 have been published in 


the papers as follows: 

Yen. 

Net profit second half of 1913. 1, 855,199 

Brought forward from last account (of June 30). 1^614,391 


3, 469, 590 

To be distributed: 

Dividend at 12 per cent. 897, 998 

Special dividend at 4 per cent. 299, 333 

Reserves. 150,000 

Pension reserve. 100,000 

Fund for the amelioration of the condition of the operatives. 100, 000 

Bonuses to directors and auditors. 80, 000 

Carried forward to next account. 1, 842, 259 


The net profits made by the Kanegafuchi Spinning Co. (Ltd.) during 
1913 were therefore over 26 per cent of the paid-up capital, and from 
these it declared 16 per cent in dividends and used 10 per cent for 
reserves and for working capital. 

The larger companies, such as the Kanegafuchi, Miye, Fuji Gas, 
Settsu, and Osaka, all seem to be on a regular dividend basis of 12 per 
cent, and to call whatever they pay above this basis a special dividend. 
Most of them have dividend equalization funds to maintain the 12 per 
cent basis during times of depression. Of course, many of the smaller 
companies are not managed so conservatively. 

DIVIDENDS. 

The Japan Cotton Spinners’ Association has kept a record of the 
rate of dividends paid by the cotton-manufacturing companies since 
the middle of 1903. During this time some companies have been 
absorbed by others. Of the companies now in existence, listed in 
order of size, the rate of dividends paid at each semiannual statement 
have been as follows. 












222 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN 


Companies. 

1903 

1904 

. 1905 

1906 

1907 * 

1908 

Second. 

First. 

Second. 

First. 

Second. 

First. 

Second. 

First. 

Second. 

First. 

Second. 


P. ct. 

P. ct. 

P. ct. 

P. ct. 

P. ct. 

P. ct. 

P. ct. 

P. ct. 

P. ct. 

P. ct. 

P. ct. 

Kanegafuchi. ... 

7.0 

6.0 

8.0 

16.0 

16.0 

16.0 

20.0 

22.0 

22.0 

16.0 

14.0 

Mive. 

12.0 

12.0 

14.4 

30.8 

30.8 

30.8 

30.8 

30.0 

20.0 

12.0 

12.0 

Fuji Gas. 

(a) 

(a) 

(a) 

(«) 

(a) 

(o) 

25.0 

25.0 

25.0 

18.0 

14.0 

Settsu.. 

16.0 

14.0 

20.0 

36.0 

40.0 

40.0 

50.0 

50.0 

44.0 

20.0 

20.0 

Osaka Godo. 

10.0 

10.0 

12.0 

20.0 

20.0 

20.0 

30.0 

30.0 

30.0 

20.0 

20.0 

Osaka. 

17.0 

17.0 

21.0 

20.0 

25.0 

20.0 

20.0 

20.0 

20.0 

12.0 

12.0 

Nippon... 

12.0 

10.0 

10.0 

12.0 

15.0 

16.0 

16.0 

18.0 

19.0 

16.0 

12.0 

Tokyo. 

5.0 


5.0 

16.0 

20.0 

20.0 

20.0 

20.0 

18.0 

8.0 

5.0 

Amagasaki. 

20.0 

20.0 

20.0 

30.0 

40.0 

40.0 

50.0 

50.0 

50.0 

40.0 

30.0 

Kishiwada. 

18.0 

18.0 

18.0 

30.0 

30.0 

30.0 

40.0 

40.0 

40.0 

30.0 

25.0 

Fukushima. 

7.0 

7.0 

7.0 

12.0 

18.0 

20.0 

28.0 

30.0 

30.0 

16.0 

12.0 

Nisshin. 








3.0 




Kurashiki. 

13.0 

10.0 

15.0 

30.0 

40.6 

35.6 

30.0 

40.0 

25.0 

10.0 

10.0 

Wakayama. 

8.0 

4.0 

7.0 

20.0 

28.0 

20.0 

16.0 

16.0 

12.0 


4.0 

Sakai. 

11.4 

10.0 

11.4 

20.0 

23.0 

23.0 

34.4 

35.0 

20.0 

16.0 

10.0 

Naigai Wata.... 

5.0 


10.0 

15.0 

13.0 

15.0 

15.0 

15.0 

15.0 

12.0 

10.0 

Tokvo Calico_ 












Nippon Seifu.... 

30.0 











Ehime. 








20.0 

16.0 



Temma Orimono 


6.0 

10.0 

15.0 

15.0 

10.0 

22.0 

22.0 

11.2 

20.0 

20.0 

Sanuki. 




10.0 

15.0 

18.0 

20.0 

25.0 

25.0 

20.0 

18.0 

Matsuyama. 

9.0 

6.0 

8.0 

15.0 

20.0 

20.0 

20.0 

20.0 

16.0 



Osaka Orimono.. 












Sanyo. 












Ki-Yo Shokufu.. 
























Average ft.. 

8.2 

6.6 

8.5 

17.1 

21.9 

22.1 

24.4 

19.7 

21.5 

11.5 

10.2 


Companies. 

1909 

1910 

1911 

1912 

1913 

First. 

Second. 

First. 

Second. 

First. 

Second. 

First. 

Second. 

First. 

Second. 


P. ct. 

P. ct. 

P. ct. 

P. ct. 

P. ct. 

P. ct. 

P. ct. 

P. ct. 

P. ct. 

P. ct 

Kanegafuchi. 

14.0 

14.0 

14.0 

12.0 

12.0 

12.0 

14.0 

14.0 

16.0 

16.0 

Miye. 

15.0 

15.0 

12.0 

12.0 

12.0 

12.0 

14.0 

16.0 

16.0 

16.0 

Fuji Gas. 

14.0 

14.0 

12.0 

6.0 

10.0 

10.0 

14.0 

12.0 

12.0 

12.0 

Settsu. 

20.0 

20.0 

20.0 

20.0 

20.0 

20.0 

20.0 

30.0 

30.0 

30.0 

Osaka Godo. 

20.0 

20.0 

20.0 

20.0 

20.0 

20.0 

16.0 

16.0 

16.0 

18.0 

Osaka. 

12.0 

12.0 

12.0 

10.0 

10.0 

16.0 

10.0 

12.0 

14.0 

14.0 

Nippon. 

12.0 

10.0 

10.0 

8.0 

8.0 

8.0 

12.0 

14.0 

16.0 

16.0 

Tokyo. 

5.0 

8.0 

7.0 

5.0 

7.5 

8.0 

8.0 

9.0 

10.0 

10.0 

Amagasaki. 

30.0 

30.0 

30.0 

30.0 

30.0 

30.0 

30.0 

30.0 

30.0 

30.0 

Kishiwada. 

30.0 

30.0 

30.0 

30.0 

30.0 

30.0 

30.0 

30.0 

30.0 

30.0 

Fukushima. 

12.0 

12.0 

14.0 

10.0 

16.0 

16.0 

20.0 

24.0 

26.0 

26.0 

Nisshin. 



5.0 



5.1 

7.1 

7 1 

8 0 

8 0 

Kurashiki. 

16.0 

12.6 

14.0 

12.6 

10.2 

12.0 

16.0 

16.0 

16.0 

16.0 

Wakayama. 

10.0 

8.0 

10.0 

8.0 

16.0 

16.0 

20.0 

24.0 

30.0 

30.0 

Sakai. 

16.0 

14.0 

14.0 

14.0 

14.0 

14.0 

16.0 

18.0 

20.0 

20.0 

Naigai Wata. 

12.0 

12.0 

12.0 

12.0 

12.0 

10.0 

15.0 

20.0 

20.0 

15.0 

Tokyo Calico. 

5.0 





6.0 

10.0 

10.0 

10.0 

6.0 

Nippon Seifu. 


6.0 







Ehime.''J,. 






5.1 

8.0 

9.2 

10 0 

10 0 

Temma Orimono... 

20.0 

20.6 

17.0 


14.0 



20.0 

10.0 

10.0 

Sanuki. 

18.0 

18.0 

18.0 

12.6 

15.0 

16.0 

16.0 

18.0 

18.0 

18.0 

Matsuyama. 



6.8 




6.0 

16.0 

10 0 

10 0 

Osaka Orimono. 





6.0 

6.0 

10.0 

10 0 

P 0 

12 0 

Sanyo. 








10.0 

8 0 

8 0 

Ki-Yo Shokufu. 







8.0 

10.0 

16.0 

16.0 










Average ft. 

11.6 

11.3 

10.8 

8.3 

10.2 

10.4 

12.3 

13.9 

14.4 

14.5 


oThe Fuji Gas Boseki was formed in the first part of 1906 by the amalgamation of the Fuji Boseki and 
the Tokyo Gas Boseki. 

ft The average includes some other companies that have failed or have been amalgamated since with 
other companies. 


As before explained, the yearly dividend is the average and not 
the sum of the two semiannual dividend rates, as these are stated in 
terms of the rates per annum. It may also be mentioned that the 
Japanese, except in their publications for foreign use, do not state 
proportions in percentages but in tenths. Thus a 10’ per cent divi- 






























































































































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


223 


<lend is stated by them as a 1.0 dividend, a 20 per cent dividend as 
a 2.0 dividend, etc. This is mentioned for the benefit of any who may 
wish to verify the foregoing figures by referring to the publications 
of the association. 

DIVIDENDS OF LEADING COMPANIES. 

The Amagasaki and the Kishiwada are the two companies that 
hold the record for dividends paid in the last 10 years. The fimt 
half of 1903 is not shown but starting with 1904 the yearly dividends 
of the Amagasaki have been 20, 35, 45, 50 (1907), 35, 30, 30, 30, 30, 
and 30 per cent, or a total of 335 per cent during the 10 years. The 
net profits have been over 500 per cent. This company has one mill 
of 45,596 ring-spinning spindles and 21,608 twister spindles at Amaga¬ 
saki, near the station of Kanzaki, which is a short distance from 
Osaka on the railroad from Kobe to Osaka, and another mill of 
55,396 ring-spinning spindles, 9,792 twister spindles, and 1,783 
looms at Ysumori near by. This company uses about 60 per cent 
of American cotton, 25 per cent of Indian, and 15 per cent of other 
kinds, including a small amount of Egyptian. It spins various 
counts from 8s up to 60s. Its yarn exports are small; it sells the 
bulk of its coarse counts at home and weaves most of its medium 
counts in its own factory. It makes only shirting, mainly 44/45- 
inch in 46-yard lengths, 30Yitich in 120-yard lengths for printing, 
and a smaller amount of the somewhat coarser 37-inch in 38-yard 
lengths. With the more favorable trade prospects in the last two 
years and the higher protection under the tariff of 1911, it has been 
expanding and intends to weave a larger proportion of the yarn it 
spins. For instance on June 30, 1912, it had 77,408 spindles and 
781 looms, on December 31, 1912, it had 89,776 spindles and 1,231 
looms, while on June 30, 1913, it had 100,992 spindles and 1,783 
looms. The average ol the yarns made by this company is a little 
over 30s, and its large profits are probably due to the fact that it 
makes only shirtings of a grade somewhat better than the average. 
Its ^^Nasu,’’ or ^‘Eggplant,” brand of the 44/45-inch shirting, made 
68 by 72, 5.11 yards to the pound, brings the highest price of its 
kind in Japan, and its ‘‘Kai Jo,” or Woman Diver,” brand is equally 
well known. Its ^‘Eggplant” brand of the narrower width, about 
30f-inch, 60 by 58, 7.27 yards to the pound, is one of the standards of 
the print-cloth trade. 

The Kishiwada in the 10 years from 1904 to 1913, inclusive, paid 
yearly dividends totaling 289^ per cent and its net profits were 
much larger. This is a spinning company only, having two mills 
at Kishiwada and another at Sakai near by, all three not very far 
from Osaka. It exports almost its entire production and uses about 
78 per cent of Indian cotton, about 13 per cent of American, and 
about 9 per cent of Chinese to make one count only. No. 20 warp, 
spun with a left-hand twist. Its trade-mark is a representation of 
Ebisu (or Yebisu), the Japanese god of prosperity, and its No. 20 
warp brings the highest price on the Chinese market. Its great 
profits are probably due in large measure to the economy afforded 
by making one count only and to the reputation that it has established 
for this yarn. 


224 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


The averages in the above table afford a fairer idea of the general 
(dividends paid than do the great dividends paid by a few of the larger 
(ompanies. This average includes all of the limited-liability companies 
(the private companies not included are mostly small). The com¬ 
panies that were included but not shown now, because they are not 
m operation under their old name, have either tailed or been absorbed 
by the larger mills. The largest of the companies that have dis¬ 
appeared, the Kennshi, on December 31, 1910, had 69,116 spindles 
and 1,546 looms. This company paid 10 per cent in 1905, 20 per 
cent in 1906, 16 per cent in 1907, nothing m 1908, 6J per cent in 1909, 
and 2 per cent in 1910, but as its finances were insufficient to operate 
profitably, it was then absorbed by the strong Kanegafuchi. Many 
other companies have at different times sprung up and in a time of 
great prosperity, hke the period from 1905 to 1907, have paid well, 
and then in the period of reaction have gone under for lack of working 
capital or other causes. Only the stronger companies have survived 
and these have been augmented by taking over the weaker companies. 
With their better management and better financial backing they 
are able to show continued profits on a high level. 

STOCK QUOTATIONS. 

On request, the Osaka Kabushiki Torishikisho (Osaka Stock 
Exchange) compiled the following to show the market quotations 
on the shares of the largest cotton mills at the beginning of each 
hall year for the past 15 years. 


Companies. 

Par 

value. 

1899 

1900 

1901 

1902 

Jan. 4. 

July 1. 

Jan. 4. 

July 2. 

Jan. 4. 

July 1. 

Jan. 4. 

July 1. 


Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Kanegafuchi... 

50 

41.00 

47.00 

54.00 

37.50 

38.00 

31.90 

38.50 

36.50 

Miye. 

50 



80.00 

69.00 

72.00 

57.00 

50.00 

72.00 

Fuji Gas®. 

50 









Settsu. 

25 

43.50 

54.00 

CS. 50 

50.00 

48.50 

40.50 

48.50 

44.00 

Osaka Godo_ 

20 





19.00 

15.00 

14.00 

16.50 

Osaka. 

50 

25.00 

33.00 

41.00 

30.00 

24.50 

16.50 

20.30 

20.30 

Nippon b. 

12.1 

8. 70 

14.00 

18.50 

14.10 

25.00 

19.80 

33.60 

33.00 

Tokj^o. 

50 

45.00 

48.00 

62.00 

43.00 

44.00 

38.00 

37.00 

36.50 

Amagasaki.... 

25 

19.00 

31.50 

39.00 

41.00 

49.00 

43.00 

48.50 

50.00 

Kishiwada.... 

25 

30.00 

34.50 

41.00 

33.00 

35.00 

30.50 

33.50 

33.00 

Fukushima.... 

25 

9.50 

15.10 

18.00 

13.00 

10.00 

8.00 

11.00 

15.10 


Companies. 

I’ar 

value. 

1903 

1904 

1905 

1906 

Jan. 5. 

July 1. 

Jan. 4. 

July 1. 

Jan. 4. 

July 1. 

Jan. 4. 

July 2. 


Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Kanegafuchi... 

50 

39.50 

42.00 

37.00 

38.50 

41.50 

98.00 

106.00 

116.50 

Miye. 

50 

72.00 

71.50 

71.00 

66.50 

76.00 

98.00 

110.00 

120.00 

Fuji Gas. 

50 




33.00 

39.50 

79. 50 

115 00 

101 00 

Settsu. 

25 

40.00 

45.30 

45.70 

36.50 

47.00 

75.00 

97.00 

97.00 

Osaka Godo... 

20 

12.80 

13.15 

17.20 

17.00 

20.50 

37.80 

41.50 

45.50 

Osaka. 

50 

12.50 

13. 70 

15.80 

22.00 

40.60 

84.50 

91.50 

84.50 

N ippon. 

25 

33.50 

33.00 

30.00 

26. 70 

27.50 

37.50 

42.00 

41.50 

Tokyo. 

50 

33.50 

32.50 

34.00 

28.50 

28.80 

62.00 

94.00 

96.00 

Amagasaki.... 

25 

49.50 

55.50 

56.00 

50. 50 

55.50 

82.00 

110.00 

107.50 

Kishiwada.... 

25 

30.50 

36.50 

39.00 

39.00 

44.20 

69.00 

75.00 

80.00 

Fukushima.... 

25 

12.70 

14.00 

16.30 

15.80 

17.00 

31.00 

43.50 

44.50 


a Quotations for 1904, 1905, and Jan. 4, 1906, are for the Fuji Boseki, which was amalgamated with the 
Tokyo Gas Boseki; quotations thereafter are for the new company formed, the Fuji Gas Boseki. 

b Quotation for July 2, 1900, is on a par value of 17.50 yen; for Jan. 4, 1901, on a par value of 20 yen; and 
lor July 1, 1901, and thereafter, on a par value of 25 yen. 



























































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


225 


Companies. 

Par 

value. 

1907 

1908 

1909 

1910 

Jan. 4. 

July 1. 

Jan. 4. 

July 1. 

Jan. 4. 

July 1. 

Jan. 4. 

July 1. 


Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

KanegafuchL.. 

50 

240.00 

117.00 

88.00 

81.00 

85.50 

101.00 

104.00 

105.50 

Mive. 

50 

215.00 

118.00 

90.00 

70.50 

76.00 

92.50 

96.50 

90.00 

Fuji Gas. 

50 

198.00 

103.00 

81.00 

80.00 

80.00 

107.00 

99.50 

93.00 

Settsu. 

25 

163.00 

110.00 

73.50 

61.00 

61.50 

77.00 

75.00 

82.00 

Osaka Godo... 

20 

84.00 

62.00 

41.30 

33.00 

38.00 

46.00 

45.20 

46.00 

Osaka. 

50 

138.00 

89.50 

62.00 

51.00 

62.00 

82.00 

73.00 

71.50 

Nippon. 

25 

72.50 

46.00 

34.00 

30.70 

33.50 

34.00 

31.00 

31.20 

Tokyo. 

50 

210.00 

77.00 

60.00 

39.00 

35.00 

49.50 

45.50 

44.00 

Amagasaki.... 

25 

172.00 

121.00 

105.50 

83.50 

94.50 

98.50 

101.00 

102.50 

Kishiwada.... 

25 

135.00 

87.00 

79.00 

63.00 

68.00 

77.00 

92.00 

88.00 

Fukushima.... 

25 

78.50 

46.50 

31.00 

25.50 

28.00 

32.00 

34.00 

45.00 



1911 

1912 

1913 

1914 


Par 









w U iUIi dll • 

value. 











Jan. 4. 

July 1. 

Jan. 4. 

July 1. 

Jan. 4. 

July 1. 

Jan. 6. 

July 1. 


Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Kanegafuchi... 

50 

108.50 

100.50 

103.00 

113.00 

110.50 

105.00 

105.00 


Miye. 

50 

93.50 

88.00 

93.00 

96.50 

92.50 

96.50 

93.50 


Fuji Gas. 

50 

91.50 

81.50 

84.00 

87.50 

82.50 

75.00 

76.00 


Settsu. 

25 

86.00 

80.50 

92.50 

109.00 

90. 70 

85.50 

86.50 


Osaka Godo... 

20 

49.00 

49.10 

50.20 

52.30 

50.00 

37.20 

38.50 


Osaka. 

50 

72.00 

66.30 

67.20 

72.50 

68.50 

69.20 

68.00 


N ippon. 

25 

32. 70 

30.00 

31.50 

41.50 

40.50 

41.00 

40.70 


Tokyo. 

50 

46.00 

47.50 

46.00 

52.50 

50.50 

51.50 

52.00 


Amagasaki.... 

25 

125.00 

112.50 

131.00 

132.00 

127.50 

95.00 

99.00 


Kishiwada.... 

25 

100.00 

114.00 

109.50 

166.00 

98.00 

92.00 

84.50 


Fukushima.... 

25 

40.00 

42.00 

53.50 

80.50 

74.00 

79.00 

76.50 



The 11 companies listed are the largest in Japan and range from 
406,856 spindles for the Kanegafuchi down to 82,976 spindles for the 
Fukushima, as shown for June 30, 1913. 


FLUCTUATIONS IN VALUE. 

In the first part of 1899 most of the shares were below par; they 
improved in value during the latter part of that year and the first 
part of 1900, then slumped, but in 1905 increased in value until in 
the first part of 1907 they reached their record. On January 1, 1907, 
for instance, the Kanegafuchi shares, with a par value of 50 yen, 
were selling at 240 yen, and Miye shares of the same par value sold 
at 215 yen. During the height of the boom cotton-mill shares in 
general ranged from two and one-half to more than five times their par 
value. Then came the reaction, but with the larger profits made in 
the last two years shares are now again on a high level. Even at the 
present values, however, considering the dividends paid by the larger 
companies, cotton-mill shares are a good investment and bring in a 
large return. 

48895°—14-15 





































































MANCHURIAN MARKET. 

INTRODUCTION. 


Manchuria is the name given by foreigners to the northeast sec¬ 
tion of China, comprising the three Provinces of Shengking, Kirin, 
and Heilungkiang. This section is officially designated as Tung- 
san-cheng, or Three Eastern Provinces, though also known among 
the Chinese as ‘Hhe country of the Manchus.’’ 

The sharp wedge of the eastern end of Mongolia bends Manchuria 
into a bow-shaped section, of which one half slopes northeast and the 
other half northwest, and this causes the towns near the middle, 
such as Changchun and Harbin, to lie almost on the edge of Mon¬ 
golia. Manchuria is bounded on the west by Chihli Province, Mon¬ 
golia, and Siberia; on the north by Siberia; on the east by Siberia 
and Chosen; on the south by Chosen, the Yellow Sea, and the Gulf 
of Liaotung. 

Neither the area nor the population of Manchuria has ever been 
accurately determined. The China Year Book for 1913 states the 
area as 363,700 square miles and the population as being approxi¬ 
mated by the Ministry of the Interior in 1910 as 14,917,000. The 
Encyclopaedia Britannica estimates the population of Shengking at 
4,000,000, of Kirin at 6,500,000, and of Heilungkiang at 2,000,000, 
a total for Manchuria of only 12,500,000; on the other hand the 
Chinese Customs estimate the total as high as 19,200,000. 

THREE PROVINCES OF MANCHURIA. 

The most southerly Province of Manchuria is Shengking (Feng- 
tien), and about three-fourths of the foreign trade of Manchuria 
passes through its ports, as compared with only about a fourth that 
passes across the borders of Siberia. The chief port is Dairen, in the 
Japanese leased territory, and this is followed by Newchwang and 
Antung; the trade via Antung has increased considerably in the last 
two years. The capital of the Province is Mukden. Other towns of 
lesser importance are Tiehling, Kaiyuan, and Liaoyang. In the east 
the country is mountainous, but most of the Province is a level, 
tree-denuded country; much of the great plain is swampy, while 
along the coast the saline exudations make a sterile strip that is unfit 
for agriculture. 

Kirin Province, in central Manchuria, is the richest and most pop¬ 
ulous of the three Provinces. In the east it contains heavily wooded 
mountains, and besides many valuable hardwoods this section is 
claimed to contain much undeveloped mineral wealth. In the moun¬ 
tains are many wild animals, and large numbers of furs are obtained 
annually. In the western and central section of this Province are 
fine agricultural lands, and here is produced the principal money 
crop of Manchuria, the soya bean, as well as millet, kaoliang, tobacco, 

226 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


227 


and other staples. The capital of Kirin Province is the city of Kirin, 
which, owing to the large number of merchants and officials who go 
there on retirement, is claimed to be the wealthiest city of Manchu¬ 
ria. ^ Changchun (Kwanchengtze) is the great distributing center for 
the interior of Manchuria; Harbin also lies within the borders of this 
Province and the Russian concession and the Chinese city together 
make it a very important commercial center; it is also the center of 
a large flour-manufacturing industry. Towns of lesser importance 
are Asheho,^ Petuna, Sansing, Ninguta, and Suifenho. 

Heilungkiang is the largest of the Manchurian Provinces and con¬ 
tains about half the total area of the country. It is very sparsely 
populated and has few cities, the only ones of importance being 
Tsitsikar, the capital, Mergen, Khailar, and Manchouli. In the west 
and northeast this Province is mountainous but most of it consists 
of plains, on which are grown some wheat and other crops; but much 
of the land is impregnated with salt and soda and the cultivated 
lands lie almost entirely along the rivers. 

PKINCIPAL RESOURCES. 

The principal money crop of Manchuria is the soya bean, in which 
a large export trade has been developed. Indigo and opium were 
formerly much more important than at present; but the former has 
suffered from the increased competition of synthetic indigo, and the 
latter from the attempt of the authorities to prohibit its use. Millet 
and kaoliang are extensively cultivated, also wheat, barley, and 
pulse; to a smaller extent tobacco is cultivated in the central north 
and cotton in the south, around Mukden. In the southeast there is 
also an extensive production of silk and wild silk. The most impor¬ 
tant mineral mined is coal, the largest mines being those at Fushun, 
owned by the railway, but it is thought that the country is rich in 
gold, iron, and other minerals that will in time be extensively mined; 

E recious stones are also obtained in fair amounts. The valuable 
ardwoods in the mountains of Kirin will be made available with the 
extension of the railways, though development of the country may 
cut down the export of furs, which are now obtained in large numbers. 
The rivers of Manchuria, especially in the north, are well stocked 
with salmon and other fish, and these form an important article of 
diet. The country contains considerable numbers of cattle, horses, 
and swine, as well as smaller numbers of goats and sheep. 

Manchuria becomes very warm for a short time in the summer, but 
during the four cold months the rivers are all frozen and all ports are 
icebound except that of Dairen, at the extreme southern end of the 
Liaotung Peninsula. 

RIVERS—EARLY TRANSPORTATION METHODS. 

The largest river of Manchuria is the Sungari, which flows into the 
Amur, the latter forming the boundary line between Manchuria and 
Siberia for a long distance. The Sungari lies in northeast Man¬ 
churia, while the Usuri lies in the northwest; in southern Manchuria 
the Yalu River lies in the east and the Liao in the west. These rivers 
are navigable by river steamers and junks for long distances. River 


228 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


traffic is still of importance, though on the Liao traffic has been much 
reduced by the competition of railways. 

Until the inauguration and extension of railway transportation 
throughout Manchuria internal commerce depended on the heavy 
two-wheeled Chinese carts drawn by seven ponies, one of which was 
hitched between the shafts and the others in two lines of three abreast 
in front. The Chinese covered cart, called the Peking cart, was used 
by merchants traveling, and this vehicle was drawn by one pony or by 
two to three arranged tandem. This cart was also used in the trans¬ 
portation of the silver ingots, or ‘‘Sycee shoes,’’ that it was necessary 
to send from town to town to cover the balance of trade. The long¬ 
distance seven-pony carts traveled from one end of the country to 
the other, and at night were kept in the compounds of inns, where 
they were protected by walls from the bands of robbers that infested 
the country. Transportation was almost entirely in winter, when the 
frozen roads became packed by heavy, continuous travel; in the spring 
and summer, after the thaw, most of these roads were almost impassable, 
travel and trade almost ceased, and the ponies were used in cultivat¬ 
ing the crops. Even after the Kusso-Japanese War the bulk of the 
commerce of the country was still carried by cart, either the entire 
distance from the coast to the interior, or else by utilizing the river 
or railway for only part of the trip. Since the Japanese have come 
into control of the railways of southern Manchuria, however, they 
have extended their lines, improved the equipment and speed of their 
trains, and established numerous stations only short distances apart, 
so that the old cart traffic as well as the junk traffic up the Liao Ho 
is largely a thing of the past, and carts are now used only for hauling 
short distances from the nearest station and to points not yet reached 
by rail. The ports and important centers of Manchuria are now con¬ 
nected by rail, and others are planned that will cover the country 
with a network of lines. 

DEVELOPMENT OF RAILWAYS. 

Railways in Manchuria were inaugurated by the Russians. The 
Russo-Chinese Bank, an institution founded in 1895 to develop Rus¬ 
sian interests in the Far East, secured a concession in 1896,from the 
Chinese Government for a railway across northern Manchuria that 
would form a connecting link in the line from Europe to Vladivostok. 
This line enters Manchuria on the northwest border at Manchouli 
(sometimes called Manchuria) and leaves Manchuria at Suifenho on 
its way to Vladivostok. The town of Harbin is near the center of 
this section of railway and when, in 1898, Russia obtained a lease of 
the Liaotung Peninsula it began to construct, under agreement with 
China, a branch from Harbin to Dalny (now Dairen) and Port Arthur. 
Through communication was established in 1901. As a result of the 
Russo-Japanese War Japan secured control of the line from Chang¬ 
chun (Kwanchengtze) south, while Russia retained the branch from 
Kwanchengtze to Harbin, as well as the section of the Trans-Siberian 
route that Ues across northern Manchuria. The Russian railway 
section is operated as the Chinese Eastern Railway, while the Japanese 
railway section is known as the South Manchuria Railway. In addi¬ 
tion to the branch to Newchwang and to the Fushun coal mines, the 


COTTON GOODS JN JAPAN. 


229 


Japanese have since completed a line from Mukden that connects at 
Antung with the Chosen Government Railways and thus gives an 
overland route from Japan to Manchuria. In addition to the Russian 
and Japanese lines there is the North China Railway from Peking, 
which enters Manchuria at Shanhaikwan and connects with the 
Japanese line at Mukden. This line is under Chinese control and a 
branch runs from Koupangtze to the west bank of the Liao Ho oppo¬ 
site Newchwang, with which it is connected by ferry. In addition 
there is now a Chinese-controlled line from Changchun to Kirin, 
80 miles. The Russian lines in Manchuria are of 5-foot gauge while 
the Japanese and Chinese lines are the standard 4 feet 8^ inches. 
Under their agreements with China both Russia and Japan have con¬ 
trol of their respective rights of way, with powers of policing same. 
Each has established a concession under its jurisdiction at every 
station and these are held by soldiers acting as railway guards. 

PRESENT MILEAGE—EXTENSIONS PLANNED. 

The railway mileage in operation in Manchuria on January 1, 1914, 
was as follows: 


Chinese Eastern Railway (Russian); Miles. 

Manchouli-Harbin-Suifenho (5-foot gauge). 926 

Harbin-Kwanchengtze (5-foot gauge). 152 

Branch line from Angangki to Tsitsikar (3.28-foot gauge). 17 


Total. 1,095 

South Manchuria Railway (Japanese): 

Changchun (Kwanchengtze)-Dairen. 437.5 

Mukden-Antung. 170.1 

Tashihchiao-Yingkow (Newchwang). 13.9 

Sushiatun-Fushun-Laohutai. 34.7 

Choushuitzu-Port Arthur (Ryojun). 31. 6 


Total (4-foot 8|-inch gauge). 087. 8 


North China Railway: 

Shanhaikwan-Mukden.•. 40 

Koupangtze-Yingkow (Newchwang). 59 

Changchun-Kirin. 80 


Total (4-foot 8^-inch gauge). 179 


This gives a total railway mileage in Manchuria of some 1,902 miles 
and shows that Manchuria, in proportion to area and population, is 
better served by railways than any other section of China. In addi¬ 
tion, many other lines are in contemplation. The Manchuria Daily 
News of Dairen, under date of February 2, 1914, states in regard to 
the proposed network of railways in South Manchuria: 

That the Ssupingkai-Taonanfu line will be the first to be constructed seems certain. 
The next to be started will be either the Kaiyuan-IIailungcheng or else the Kirin- 
Kwainei line. This last line will be about 310 miles long. The southern terminus, 
Kwainei, is about 40 miles from Seishin (Chosen). 

Another line is to be run from either Changchun or else Kungchuling to Taonanfu. 
The Chinese prefer the line from Taonanfu to Chihfeng to be straight, but it would be 
more businesslike to deviate via IIsiao-Kulun from Chengchiatun. 

Apart from the five railway lines above mentioned another line between Kirin and 
Fenghuangcheng (on the Mukden-Antung line) via Hailungcheng, another branching 
off from Hailungcheng to Seishin (Chosen) via Liukiang and the Changpai Range, and 





















230 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


still another connecting Fushun with Ilsingking, to meet there the Kirin-Fenghuag- 
cheng line, will be necessary to complete the railway network in South Manchuria. 

All of these lines, if constructed, will have a total length of 3,500 miles. Of these 
the lines which promise paying returns are only the Ssupingkai-Chenchiatun section 
and the Kaiyuan-Hailungcheng line. 

ROUTES TO MANCHURIA. 

Before the introduction of the railway Manchuria could be reached 
only by sea on cargo boats, and internal transportation was so primi¬ 
tive, not to mention the comfortless native inns, that there was 
considerable excuse for the fact that the import trade was entirely 
in the hands of Chinese and that Shanghai importers as well as ex¬ 
porters in America and Europe were alike ignorant of the actual 
conditions of trade. To-day this is all changed. One can now enter 
by sea on comfortable passenger boats from either Shanghai or Kobe, 
or by rail in trains de luxe from either Chosen, China, or Siberia, and 
in the country one finds comfortable railway and hotel accommoda¬ 
tions. There is little hardship entailed in reaching and traveling 
through Manchuria, at least so far as the main cities are concerned, 
and Americans interested in the cotton-goods trade would find it to 
their interest to make a trip there and obtain first-hand knowledge 
of the market requirements. Manchuria is on the through rail route 
from Europe to the Far East that connects London with either 
Shanghai or Tokyo in 13^ days and gives the shortest, quickest, and 
cheapest journey between these points. An increasing number of 
people use this route every year, and a few stop over to see the cities, 
including an increasing number of traveling men who cater to the 
requirements of the gradually increasing number of foreign firms now 
locating branches in the interior as well as at the ports. 

The quickest routes for reaching Manchuria are as follows: 

(1) From Shanghai to Dairen the South Manchuria Railway Com¬ 
pany operates two ships a week (the Kobe Maru and the SaiHo Maru) 
that make the trip in less than two days, usually If days. These are 
fast passenger and mail boats and charge 40 yen first class and 25 yen 
second class. 

(2) From Kobe the Osaka Shosen Kaisha operates a fast passenger 
and mail service twice a week, making the trip to Dairen via Moji in 
3 days; the fare is 42 yen first class and 24 yen second class. 

(3) For the overland route from Japan a train with dining car, 
sleeping cars, and observation parlor car leaves Tokyo daily and 
makes the run of 700 miles to Shimonoseki in 25 hours (12 hours 
from Kobe to Shimonoseki), where it connects with comfortable 
steamers that make the trip from Shimonoseki to Fusan across the 
150 miles of the Tsushima Straits in 11 hours; at Fusan it connects 
with the Chosen-Manchuria Express Service, equipped with dining 
cars and American Pullmans that makes the run from Fusan via 
Seoul and Antung to Mukden in 25§ hours without change. The 
Chosen-Manchuria Express Service operates thrice weekly but there 
are ordinary trains daily. 

(4) From Peking via Tientsin to Mukden the Chinese Government 
Railway operates a train de luxe with sleeping cars, dining car, and 
observation car once a week, making the trip in 23 hours; it also has 
another through service without sleepers once a week, besides a daily 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


231 


mail train that stops over for the night at Shanhaikwan. From 
Koupangtze on this Peking-Mukden Line a branch road runs 59 
miles to the west bank of the Liao River, where one can be ferried 
over to Newchwang during the open season. 

(5) From Moscow to Harbin the International Wagon-Lits express 
trains equipped with compartment sleeping cars and dining cars run 
once a week and make the trip in 7^ hays; in addition there are more 
frequent Russian State trains from Moscow and St. Petersburg to 
Harbin. The only change on this trip is at Irkutsk, to which double 
tracking has been finished from Moscow, and this year the Interna¬ 
tional Wagon Lits trains are to inaugurate through trains without 
change and will shortly still further reduce the traveling time. 

TRAVEL IN MANCHURIA. 

The main line of the South Manchuria Railway runs from Dairen 
to Changchun and connects with the Chinese Eastern Railway (Rus¬ 
sian) to Harbin and Europe. A thrice-weekly express-train service, 
composed of Pullman and dining cars, connects with the fast pas¬ 
senger boat service on its arrival from Shanghai at Dairen and makes 
the run to Changchun, 437^ miles, in 15^ hours. Regular mail trains 
run twice a day and make the run in 21 hours. From Yingkow 
(Newchwang) one goes in 35 minutes the 13.9 miles to Tashihchiao 
Junction and there makes connection with the main line. From 
Changchun the Changchun-Kirin train (Chinese) takes one the 80 
miles to Kurin in 4^ hours, or the Chinese Eastern Railway (Russian) 
takes one the 152 miles from Changchun to Harbin in 6 hours. For 
the through service to Europe the Russian and Japanese trains draw 
up on opposite sides of the station at Changchun, and passengers 
change from one to the other without loss of time. 

On the Russian lines payments have to be made in rubles, on the 
Japanese lines in gold yen, and on the Chinese lines in Mexican dollars. 

The South Manchuria Railway Co. has established hotels—all styled 
Yamatb—at Dairen, Port Arthur, Mukden, and Changchun; also at 
Hoshigaura (Star Beach, a seaside resort 5 miles from Dairen by 
electric tram). The Yamato hotels are well operated on modern 
lines and do a good tourist trade. At Dairen the comfortable Yamato 
hotel is shortly to be replaced by another that will be larger and be 
one of the most modern hotels in the Far East, having elevators, 
numerous private baths, etc. 

At Harbin there are two or three Russian hotels, which, however, 
are not so good as the Yamato hotels of the South Manchuria Railway. 
At Newchwang the As tor House hotel is operated by Chinese and is 
more like a boarding house, while at Kurin there are only two small 
boarding houses under foreign management. 

With American Pullman cars and modern hotels travel on the main 
line is about as comfortable as in America, and it is only in the smaller 
towns and those off the main routes that one now encounters dis¬ 
comforts. 

SOUTH MANCHURIA RAILWAY CO. 

The South Manchuria Railway Co., known in Japan as the Minami 
Manshu Tetsudo Kabushiki Kaisha, has its head office in Dairen. 
Its Japanese office is located m Tokyo. 


232 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


The South Manchuria Railway Co. is one of the largest companies 
ever organized in Japan, having an authorized capital of 200,000,000 
yen, or $99,600,000 United States currency. Of the authorized capi¬ 
tal the Japanese Government owns half, or 100,000,000 yen, which is 
its share for handing over to the company the completed railway lines 
in Manchuria and the properties attached theiieto, including the coal 
mines at Fushun and Yentai. The authorized capital consists of 
2,000,000 shares of 100 yen each. The capital paid up on January 1, 
1914, was a total of 120,000,000 yen in 1,500,000 shares of 80 yen 
each. 

The South Manchuria Railway Co. was organized in 1906 to operate 
the railway which was transferred to Japan by Russia by virtue of 
the Portsmouth convention of 1905 and which included the main line 
between Dalny (now called Dairen) and Changchun (Kwanchengtze), 
with its branches. The railway was originally built by the Russians, 
under the title of the Chinese Eastern Railway Co., during the years 
1900 and 1901, to form an arm of the Trans-Siberian route. 

In June, 1906, the. establishment of the South Manchuria Railway 
Co. was made public by the promulgation of Imperial Ordinance No. 
142. In the spring of 1907 Baron Shimpei Goto, as president, took 
delivery of the line from the Imperial Government Railway. In 
June, 1907, the first issue was made of the company’s debentures to 
the amount of 40,000,000 yen, the issue being floated in London; this 
was followed by a second, for 20,000,000 yen, in June, 1908, and by a 
third, also in 1908; all of these are guaranteed by the Imperial Japanese 
Government. Since December, 1908, the company has been under 
the direct control of the Prime Minister, who appoints the president. 
Of the paid-up capital, 100,000,000 yen is owned by the Imperial 
Japanese Government and 20,000,000 yen by banks and private 
parties. The dividend is 6 per cent annually, and the Japanese Gov¬ 
ernment has guaranteed this rate of dividend to the ordinary share¬ 
holders for a period of 15 years from the registration of the company. 
The shareholders of the company are limited by law to the Govern¬ 
ments of Japan and China and to the subjects of these two countries. 

railway’s part in development of COUNTRY. 

The South Manchuria Railway Co. has been a most important 
factor in the opening up and development of Manchuria, and 
especially has been of great benefit to Japanese trade. Since the com¬ 
pany w'as organized it has changed the gauge of the road from 3 feet 
6 inches (at which it was left at the end of the Russian War after 
having been changed by the Japanese forces from the Russian 
5-foot gauge so as to use rolling stock brought over from Japan) to 
the standard 4 feet 8J inches. The entire new equipment required 
was supplied in large meapre from the United States, and most of 
the engines are of American manufacture. Pullman cars of the 
latest American design were introduced for the express trains, and 
both passenger and freight cars were also imported from America, 
though most of the freight cars are now made by the Japanese from 
the original designs. The small freight cars used by Russia and 
Japan have been displaced by freight cars of the size used in America, 
the bulk of them being about 30 tons and many, especially those used 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


233 


for coal, about 50 tons. In both Chosen and Manchuria the railroad 
equipment has been made to conform to American rather than 
European practice, and in many respects is more up to date than that 
used in Japan. In addition to widening the gauge, replacing the 
equipment, and double-tracking, the company has built a branch 
line of 170.1 miles to complete connections between Mukden and the 
Shingishu terruinus of the Chosen Government Railways, including 
a 3,097-foot bridge across the Yalu River from Shingishu to Antung. 

In addition to railroading the South Manchuria Railway Co. has 
gradually embarked in other enterprises, its sphere of activities now 
einbracing (1) railways; (2) shipping; (3) harbor works; (4) coal 
mining; (5) electric power and traction; (6) gas power and light; 
(7) hotels; (8) admimstration of railway zone; (9) experimental labo¬ 
ratories, hospitals, schools, and libraries; (10) waterworks; (11) expe¬ 
rimental and instruction farms. The land actually belonging to the 
railway company suitable for agricultural, industrial, and building 
purposes amounts to 60,774,000 tsubo, or 49,650 acres. 

The coal mines at Fushun form the most valuable of the subsidiary 
properties owned by the railway. They supply coal for the railway, 
and considerable amounts are also exported. In addition to the 
mines at Fushun and at Yentai the railway has acquired coal mines 
at Sahibo, near Goboten, and at Shih-hi-ling and Tokatun, near 
Kwanchengtze. 

The railway owns the Kobe Maru and the SaiMo Maru and main¬ 
tains a biweekly fast passenger and mail service between Shanghai 
and Dairen, making the trip each way in If days and connecting 
wdth the express-train service to Changchun and thence via the 
Trans-Siberian Railway to Europe. The railway controls wharf and 
warehouse services at Dairen. In addition it has control of Japanese 
concessions at each of the stations along its route, and these are 
policed by armed railway guards. The railway owns five modern 
hotels and is considering the building of others. 

FREIGHT TARIFF. 

The freight tariff of July 1, 1908, was arrauged to give a protective 
rate to imports through Dairen as against imports through New- 
chwang, with the object of building up Japanese trade and the port 
through which it passed. It was justified by the Japanese on the 
ground of their large investments at Dairen and the fact that this 
port was 137 miles further by rail from Mukden and other points in 
the interior than Newchw. ng, the logical port of the country, and 
therefore needed some assistance to counterbalance this natural dis¬ 
advantage. 

In the freight tariff of 1908 rebates were publicly given to those 
who shipped in large quantities. This rebate was 3 per cent if the 
freight paid during the year was over 100,000 and under 150,000 yen; 
3| per cent if it was over 150,000 and under 200,000 yen; and so on up 
until those paying over 500,000 yen during a year were given a 7 per 
cent rebate, these rebates being paid six months after the close of the 
fiscal year ending September 30, that is, on March 31. This proviso 
was inserted, however: ‘‘The company reserves the right to cancel 


234 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


its recognition given to a client whenever it considers him to have 
acted in any manner prejudicial to the interests of the company.” 

The freight tariff was revised December 3, 1909, and republished 
with some changes in March, 1912. The revised tariff did away 
with the giving of rebates, at least so far as publicly stating them, 
but the freight rate to any interior point is the same^ from either 
Newchwang, Dairen, or Antung, though Newchwang is much the 
nearest. 

The following are the principal regulations for the calculation of 
freight and other charges: 

1. For purpoees of calculation of freight and other charges 160 momme shall be com¬ 
muted as 1 kin- 1,512 kin (2,000 pounds English) shall be computed as 1 ton. 

2. Fractions of 1 mile, 1 kin, or 1 ton shall be computed as 1 mile, 1 kin, or 1 ton, 
respectively. Fractions of 1 sen are to be omitted. 

3. Freight and other charges shall be payable in Japanese gold yen, and shall be 
calculated separately for each class of goods. 

4. For goods of which 1 cubic shakii weighs less than 10 kin, each cubic shaku shall 
be computed as 10 kin in the calculation of all charges and fees, including extra 
charges, etc. 

5. Freight for 20 miles shall be the minimum freight; 5 sen shall be the minimum 
freight or charge. 

, 6. On goods weighing less than 100 kin accepted at the kin rate, the freight charges 
shall be calculated as for 100 kin. For over 100 kin, freight and charges shall be col¬ 
lected for every 10 kin, and fractions of 10 kin shall be charged for as 10 kin. 

7. The rarload rates and charges shall apply only to specified goods. Should the 
actual weight be short of the specified carload weight, the freight and charges for the 
full weight shall be charged. 

8. Loading and unloading of goods shall be undepaken by the company except in 
case of the following: (1) Goods specified in this tariff; (2) in cases in which the com¬ 
pany considers it necessary that the consignor and (or) consignee shall undertake the 
loading and (or) unloading of the goods; (3) such carload goods as are loaded and (or) 
unloaded on any private siding specified by the company. 

9. For such goods as are carried by goods train the loading and unloading charges 
shall be collected according to the rates specified in the below-mentioned loading and 
unloading terminal charges, 

10. Goods which can be described in one consignment application must be less than 
5 kinds and be of such kind and quantity as can be loaded together in one car. When 
more than one car is necessary, owing to the nature of the goods, the total carrying 
capacity of the cars should be the maximum consignment entered on the foregoing 
application. 

11. The person or persons in charge of goods must each have procured and possess a 
railway ticket according to the following designations: (1) Passenger car (including 
conductor’s car), a ticket according to the class of car occupied; (2) other than the 
above-mentioned in (1) a third-class ticket. 

12. When loading and (or) unloading of the goods is undertaken by the consignor 
and (or) consignee, it must be finished within 6 hours after receipt of information from 
the company of the readiness of the cars for loading or unloading; but the period from 
the close of the working hours of one day to the beginning of the working hours of the 
next day is not reckoned in the limit of 6 hours above mentioned. 

13. Should the freight charge for a certain distance under one schedule be higher 
than the charge for the same freight for a longer distance on the same line under another 
schedule, the lower charge shall prevail. 

Freight rate on ordinary goods by goods train .—Kin rates (per 100 
kin per mile): Fiist class, 4 rin; second-class, 3.5 rin; third class, 2.4 
rin; fourth class, F.6 rin. Carload rates (per ton per mile): Second 
class, 4 sen; third class, 3 sen; fourth class, 2 sen. Extra charges are 
made when goods weigh over 3 tons per piece, varying according to 
the weight per piece. Special rates are charged on special goods, 
such as dangerous goods, goods accepted by the piece (carriages, 
corpses, etc.), and on hve animals. 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


235 


CHARGES IN ADDITION TO FREIGHT RATES. 


Loading and unloading terminal charges. —A, When the loading and unloading are 
undertaken by the company: {a'j On ordinary goods the charge for loading and un¬ 
loading is 3 sen per 100 kin for kin-rate goods (less than carload), or 30 sen per ton for 
carload rate goods; extra charges, varying according to the excess weight, are made 
for goods weighing over 1 ton apiece. (6) Special rates are charged for special goods, 
such as those classed as dangerous, for goods accepted by the piece, and for live animals. 

B._ When the loading and (or) unloading are undertaken by the consignor and (or) 
consignee: (a) Goods accepted at the kin rate, or by piece, or live animals—1. In case 
consigner or consignee undertake both loading and unloading, one-half of the charges 
mentioned in “A;” 2. In case consignor or consignee undertake either loading or 
unloading, three-fourths of the charges mentioned in “A. ” (6) Carload goods.—1. In 

case consignor and consignee undertake both loading and unloading, 10 sen per ton; 
2. In case consignor or consignee undertake either loading or unloading, the sum of 
one-half of the charges mentioned in “A” and also in 1, 6, “B”. 

Demurrage. —For every 12 hours or less, 30 sen per ton of the capacity tonnage 
marked on the car. 

Weighing charges. —Kin rate goods, 1| sen per 100 kin; carload goods, 5 sen per ton. 

Storage. —For every 24 hours or less: Ordinary goods, kin rate, 2 sen per 100 kin; car¬ 
load rate, 20 sen per ton. Dangerous goods, kin rate, 5 sen per 100 kin; carload rate, 
50 sen per ton. 

CLASSIFICATION OF GOODS. 

For the levying of freight charges merchandise handled is divided 
by the South Manchuria Kailway Co. into four classes. Fibers and 
textiles, so far as listed, are in the following classes; 

First class.—Clothing (inclusive of shirts, drawers, socks, waistbands, chest and 
stomach protectors, shawls, gaiters, stockings and foot mittens) of silk, pongee, wool, 
or fur; cocoons; silk and pongee yams; manufactured silk; silk or wool bedding; 
silk umbrellas; embroideries; caps and hats; woolen cloth; carpets and rugs. 

Second class.—Yarns of cotton, wool, or hemp; sheeting and other cotton cloths 
(not enumerated otherwise); cotton or hemp bedding; clothing of cotton or hemp; cot¬ 
ton or paper umbrellas; canvas; blankets; tents; wool; military uniforms consigned 
to the military; linen cloths. 

Third class.—Raw cotton; cotton bags and sacks; raw hemp, lamium, and flax; 
straw braids; cordage and ropes of hemp, palm, cotton, etc.; wicks; waste-silk yam 
and waste cocoons; netting. 

Fourth class.—Gunny bags; waste-cotton yams; rags. 

Es})ecially valuable silks and embroideries go by passenger train 
at a special rate; oiled cloth, oiled cloth tents, and umbrellas of oiled 
cloth or oiled paper are carried at a special rate as dangerous goods. 

Each class of goods takes either a carload or less-than-carload rate, 
the latter being known as the kin rate, as it is based on the kin (1 kin = 
1.32277 pounds, usually considered by the railway as Ij pounds) 
instead of on the ton of 2,000 pounds. The minimum quantity 
accepted at carload rates is 20 tons for cotton cloth and yarn and is 
the same for most other textiles, but it is only 15 tons for raw cotton. 
When the 50-ton car is used, 50 per cent is added to the specific car¬ 
load weight (minimum). 

RATES INLAND FROM ENTRY PORTS. 

The rates per unit per mile charged on freight in carload and less- 
than-carload quantities have been shown above, but these rates apply 
generally to goods shipped from one station to another, whereas goods 
shipped inland from the entry ports of Newchwang, Dairen, and 
Antung are given lower specific rates for the different classes. The 


236 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


specific freight rates from the entry ports to some of the main points 
in the interior are as follows: 


Routes. 

Kin rates (per 100 kin). 

Carload rates (per ton). 

First 

class. 

Second 

class. 

Third 

class. 

Fourth 

class. 

Second 

class. 

Third 

class. 

Fourth 

class. 

From Dairen to— 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Tashihchiao. 

0.418 

0.330 

0.242 

0.165 

4.40 

3.30 

2.20 

Liaoyang. 

.532 

.420 

.308 

.210 

5.40 

3.50 

2.60 

Fengtien (Mukden). 

.000 

.470 

.350 

.255 

6.30 

4.00 

3.00 

Tiehling. 

.690 

.530 

.400 

.280 

7.00 

5.00 

4.00 

Kaiyuan. 

.768 

.600 

.447 

' . 305 

7. 90 

5.70 

4.20 

Changchun. 

1.140 

.900 

.660 

. 450 

11.00 

8.30 

6.00 

Yingkow (Newehwang).... 

.456 

.360 

.264 

.180 

4.80 

3.60 

2.40 

From Yinkow (Newehwang) 








to Changehun. 

1.140 

.900 

.660 

.450 

11.00 

8.30 

6.00 

From Antung to— 








Fengtien (Mukden). 

.600 

.470 

.350 

.255 

6.30 

4.00 

3.00 

Tiehling. 

.690 

.530 

.400 

.280 

7.00 

5.00 

4.00 

Kaiyuan. 

.768 

.600 

.447 

.305 

7.90 

5. 70 

4.20 

Changchun. 

1. 140 

.900 

.660 

.450 

11.00 

8.30 

6.00 

Yingkow (Newchwang).... 

1. 028 

.812 

.607 

.426 

10.58 

7.21 

5.14 


Cotton cloth and yarn take the second-class rates. In less-than- 
carload quantities the freight rate on these goods from hTewchwang, 
Dairen, or Antung to Changchun (the most important distributing 
center of the interior) is therefore 90 sen per 100 kin, which is the same 
as 33.883 cents United States currency per 100 pounds. This through 
rate is the same to Changchun from Newchwang, 300^ miles; from 
Antung, 359.6 miles; and from Dairen, 437^ miles. In carload lots 
(the minimum carload weight being 20 tons of 2,000 pounds each) the 
rate on cotton cloth and yarn to Changchun from Newchwang, 
Dairen, or Antung amounts to 11 yen per ton of 2,000 pounds, which 
is equivalent to 27.39 cents per 100 pounds. 


STEAMSHIP RATES FROM SHANGHAI TO DAIREN. 

Steamship freight rates between Dairen and Shanghai and vice 
versa are as follows per ton of 15 piculs or 40 cubic feet at ship’s 
option: Class 1, 6 gold yen or taels; class 2, 4.50 yen or taels; class 3, 
3.50 yen or taels; class 4, 2.50 yen or taels; class 5, 2 yen or taels. 
The rates are payable in gold yen for shipments from Dairen and in 
taels for shipments from Shanghai. So far as relates to textiles the 
classification is as follows: 

First class.—Silk, raw and manufactured; silk waste; silk umbrellas; silk piece 
goods; cocoons; caps and hats; clothing (silk, woolen, fur). 

Second class.—Cotton piece goods; cotton knit goods; stockings; clothing of cotton 
or hemp; wool; woolen yarn; woolen cloth; hemp thread and cloth. 

Third class.—Raw cotton; canvas; cotton yarn; raw hemp; nankeen; hemp rope. 

Fourth class.—Gunny bags; ropes, straw and liber. 
































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


237 


THROUGH RATES FROM SHANGHAI. 

The steamship and railway freight tariff on tlirough cargo from 
Shanghai to the principal ports in South Manchuria follows: 



Class 1. 

Class 2. 

Class 3. 

Class 4. 

Steamship rate, Shanghai to Dairen, including transshipment charges, 
per 15 piculs or 40 cubic feet. 

Taels. 
6.30 

Taels. 

4.80 

Taels. 

3.80 

Taels. 

2.80 

Railway "rate, Dairen to— 

Lushun or Port Arthur— 

L. C. L., per picul. 

.11 

.09 

.07 

.05 

C. L., per"ton". 

1.11 

.94 

.68 

Yingkow'and Liaoyang— 

L. C. L., per picul.. 

.41 

.33 

.25 

.18 

C. L., per"ton. 

4.34 

3.32 

2.30 

Mukden of Fengtien— 

L. C. L., per picul. 

.54 

.43 

.32 

.24 

' C. L., per ton. 

5.61 

3.66 

2.81 

Tiehling and Kaiyuan— 

L. C. L., per picul. 

.61 

.48 

.37 

.26 

C. L., per ton. 

6.21 

4.51 

3.66 

Kungchulmg— 

L. C. L., per picul. 

.92 

.74 

.56 

.38 

C. L., per ton. 

9.18 

7.06 

4.85 

Changchun and Kwanchcngtze— 

L. C. L., per picul. 

.99 

.79 

.59 

.41 

C. L., per ton. 

9.61 

7.31 

5.36 

Antung—" 

L. C. L., per picul. 

1.21 

1.03 

.87 

.63 

C. L., per"ton". 

11.69 

8.66 

6.42 




Note.' —Carload rate named will apply on cargo exceeding 10 tons of 2,000 pounds 
in one lot and on cargo specifically indicated in tariff. 

Minimum charge for each bill of lading is 1.50 taels. 

Fractions of ton will be computed as the fraction. 

For railway, minimum freight on one shipment is as for 100 catties, and any frac¬ 
tion of 10 catties will be computed as 10 catties. For light cargo weighing not more 
than 10 catties per cubic foot, each cubic foot will be taken for 10 catties and freight 
charged accordingly. 

CLASSIFICATION OF THROUGH GOODS. 

The classification of through goods, so far as relates to textiles, is 
as follows: 


Articles. 

Classificajtion. 

Articles. 

Classification. 

On 

steam¬ 

ship. 

On 

rail¬ 

way. 

On 

steam¬ 

ship. 

On 

rail¬ 

way. 

Canvas. 

3 

2 

Piece goods: 



pQ-n<2 . 

1 

1 

Silk. 

1 

1 

Clothing: 



Cotton. 

3 

2 

.Qillr wnolp.n.fiir. 

1 

1 

Ropes, hemp. 

3 

3 

Pnttnn hp.mn . 

2 

2 

Ropes^ straw and fiber. 

4 

4 

Pnt.tnn ra'W . 

3 

3 

Silk (raw and manufactured). 

1 

1 

Pnftnn ninth n.nrl Irnit P’OOfls. _ 

2 

2 

Silk (waste). 

1 

3 

Pnttnn vfi.m . ... 

3 

2 

Umbrellas (silk). 

1 

1 


4 

4 

Wool.. 

2 

2 

TTomn w .. 

3 

3 

Woolen cloth. 

2 

2 


2 

2 

Woolen yam. 

2 

2 

Nankeen. 

3 

2 






































































238 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


NEWCHWANG. 

Newchwang is the natural gateway to Manchuria, and until the 
Japanese developed Dairen and its connections Newchwang was the 
leading port. The natural increase that would have come to New¬ 
chwang has been taken away by Dairen, but it still ranks as one of the 
important ports of China and does a very large trade. It is the port 
through which nearly all the American cottons reach the Three 
Eastern Provinces. 

The treaty port that is known to foreigners, and also by the 
Chinese Maritime Customs, as Newchwang (or Niuchwang, meaning 
‘^ox hamlet’’)? is on the left bank of the Liao River and some 13 miles 
above the point at which it empties into the Gulf of Liaotung. The 
correct name of this town, the one by which it is still called by the 
Chinese throughout Manchuria, is Yingkow (meaning '‘mouth or 
outlet of the camp”), while the real Newchwang still exists as a small 
village some 35 miles up the Liao from its mouth. It seems that 
according to the Anglo-Chinese treaty of Tien-chin of June 26, 1858, 
"Niuchwang” was named as one of the ports to be opened to foreign 
commerce, but on investigation the English found that this port was 
so far up the river as to be accessible only to the flat river boats. 
Yingkow, nearer the river mouth, was much more accessible and was 
available for ocean-going ships, so they chose this as the port and to' 
avoid any trouble about the treaty applied the treaty port name to 
this point and had the Chinese Customs open it to foreign commerce 
under this name in May, 1864. 

At Newchwang there is a river frontage of some 2,500 feet, of which 
a portion has been curbed with stone. Any ship that can get over 
the bar at the mouth of the river can come up the river and alongside 
the wharves. This bar off the mouth of the river is an extensive one 
of hard mud, through which there are certain" channels that have 
afforded a depth at high tide of 18 to 20 feet. Dredging operations 
in progress at the bar and at the wharves at Newchwang will, when 
completed, it is claimed, give a depth at low tide of 26 feet at all 
berths. 

FACTORS AFFECTING TRADE OF NEWCHWANG. 

Most of the beans shipped at Newchwang come down the Liao 
River in junks, and some cottons and other goods are still shipped up 
the river in this manner. A few years ago this traffic was seriously 
menaced by the fact that at Liangchiakou, some distance up the 
river, the Liao broke through its banks and sought a new way to the 
gulf, thus tending to reduce the importance of Newchwang b\ reason 
of the lower water and the silting up of the river. A stone weir was 
erected to maintain the water in the Liao, but its operation was 
opposed by the inhabitants of that section who would have profited by 
the diversion of the water to the new route. The National Associated 
Chinese Guilds were appealed to and agreed to urge the completion 
of this work, as otherwise the prosperity of the port of Newchwang 
will be impaired considerably, and this work is now in progress. 

The prosperity of the port and its continued growth have already 
been greatly affected by the increase of the trade through Dairen. 
Formerly Newchwang handled almost the entire trade of Manchuria. 
Cotton goods and other merchandise were shipped in before the 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


239 


closing of the port by ice in November, and' during the winter, when 
the frozen roads bad become packed bard by travel, these goods were 
shipped up to interior points on thousands of the Manchu carts that 
are made with two wheels and drawn by seven ponies each. Before 
and after the freeze merchandise was also sent up the river in the flat- 
bottomed river junks that had brought down beans and other produce. 
With the development of railway connections this cart trafiic gradually 
dwindled until only a few hundred carts are now used and these only 
for points within a radius of some 40 miles. With the gradual 
diversion of much of the import and export trade to Dairen, which 
is open the year round, the trade at Newchwang has suffered. 
Newchwang is closed by ice usually from the latter part of November 
until about the middle of March. During the open season mail and 
passengers, as well as some freight, are brought by rail from Tientsin 
and Chingwantao to the Chinese station on the right bank of the Liao 
and are ferried across, but when the river is closed by ice there is no 
traffic this way, and mail from China proper comes by way of Mukden. 

The Liao is still used largely for bringing beans down from t^he 
interior as far up as Tiehling, but the great bulk of the cotton goods is 
now shipped to the interior entirely by rail. Newchwang is 137 
miles nearer by rail to Mukd&n and other points in the interior than 
Dairen, but the freight rates quoted by the South Manchuria Rail¬ 
way are the same from both ports. 

CHARACTER OF INHABITANTS. 

The Chinese Customs estimate the population of Newchwang at 
61,000, which makes it the largest of the ports of Manchuria. New¬ 
chwang, together with the entire coast section of southern Man¬ 
churia, was formerly under the jurisdiction of Shangtung Province. 
It was largely settled by people from that Province and their dialect 
is still used. The trade is almost entirely in the hands of Shantung 
men and their descendants. Thousands of Shantung coolies are 
brought over from Chefoo every year to aid in the sowing and har¬ 
vesting of the bean and other crops of Manchuria, usually coming 
over in the spring and returning in the fall; some of these remain as 
permanent settlers. In every Manchurian town crowds of these 
coolies, together with local coolies, come together at the '^coolie fairs,’’ 
ffering themselves for hire as farm hands, usually in bands of 30 to 
300 or more. They are hired by the year, by the month, or by the 
day, the last mentioned being most usual. Wages vary according 
to the place as well as the supply and demand, but the annual wages 
range from 40 to 70 silver yen, and the monthly wages from 4 to 8 
silver yen. The day laborers are paid from 20 to 30 sen in the sowing 
season, 30 to 40 sen at weeding, etc., about 25 sen in the harvesting 
season, and 20 to 30 sen for thrashing, the men in all cases boarding 
with their employers. 

The Chinese peasants in Manchuria, especially tenants who culti¬ 
vate lands on lease, have to work hard from day to day, and the days 
of respite for them may be numbered on the fingers, viz, from New 
Year’s Day to the fifth of the first moon, the fifteenth of the same 
moon, the Dragon Festival in the fifth moon, and the Mid-Autumn Fes¬ 
tival. In addition the peasants feast together on one or more village 
fe&tival days that are usually associated with some local legend. 


240 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


After the crops have been placed in the granaries the farmers at once 
begm manuring the fields, and when the cold makes field labor impos- 
sime they keep busy repairing agricultural implements, dredging 
ditches, etc. The great bulk of the population is agricultural, and as 
merchants have to wait on the returns of the crops for their payments 
most sales have to be on time. 

TRANSPORTATION ROUTES AND FREIGHT RATES. 

Most of the cotton goods entered at Newchwang come from Shanghai, 
from which there are three regular lines. The China Navigation Co. 
(Ltd.), usually known from its agents as the Butterfield & Swire 
Line, has a sailing every week, and takes 3 to 3^ days for the trip. 
The Indo-China Navigation Co., with Jardine, Matheson & Co. as 
agents, also operates a regular line with about the same number of 
saihngs, while the China Merchants Steam Navigation Co. has Chinese 
agents and usually operates weekly but with no regular schedule. 
From Japan the Nmpon Yusen Kaisha operates one line from Kobe 
to Newchwang via Moji and Taku (every alternate steamer calling at 
Nagasaki) and taking 7 to 8 days for the trip, with a sailing every 6 
days. The same company also operates a line from Yokohama to 
Newchwang via Nagoya or Yokkaichi, Kobe, Moji, Chemulpo, Dairen, 
and Taku, making the trip in 15 days, with saihngs alternately 7 and 
14 days apart. In addition to regular lines there is a considerable 
coastwise ]unk trade. 

The steamship lines quote the freight rate on cotton goods from 
Shanghai to Newchwang as 6 taels per 40 cubic feet, but the Chinese 
merchants who import state that they pay 7 taels, which, however, 
probably includes a broker’s profit. The Nippon Yusen Kaisha gives 
the rate on cotton goods from Kobe to Newchwang as nominally 5 yen 

E er 40 cubic feet, but rebates are given according to the size of the 
rm and the amount shipped. The principal importers of cotton 
goods are the Japanese firms of Mitsui Bussan Kaisha and Nisshin 
Yoko, both of which get a 10 per cent rebate and are therefore paying 
only 4.50 yen. Most smaller firms pay 4.80 yen, which is equivalent 
to a 4 per cent rebate. Hung Li Ho is stated to be the chief Chinese 
firm importing direct from Japan. A bale of sheeting measures about 
8 cubic feet, a bale of drill 6 cubic feet, and a bale of yarn 10 cubic 
feet. Five bales of sheeting (equal to 40 cubic feet) contain 4,000 
linear yards of 36-inch sheeting. In February, 1914, the Chinese 
importers were paying 7 taels per 40 cubic feet, less 5 per cent for 
shipping by one of the three regular lines in the pool, from Shanghai. 
The Shanghai tael being taken as 64 cents United States currency, 
this is equivalent to $4,256. The two largest Japanese firms were 
paying, for 40 cubic feet frorn Japan, 5 yen less a 10 per cent rebate, 
or $2,241. On 36-inch sheeting, therefore, the freight from Shanghai 
amounted to 0.1064 cent per yard, as against only 0.056 cent ner 
yard from Kobe. 

BANKING AND CURRENCY. 

The main banks at Newchwang are the Russo-Asia tic Bank, the 
Yokohama Specie Bank, the Bank of China, and the Bank of Com¬ 
munications (Chinese). The firm of Jardine, Matheson & Co. acts as 


COTTOK GOODS IN JAPAN. 


241 


local agent of the Hongkong-Shanghai Banking Corporation. The 
Yokohama Specie Bank is of much assistance to Japanese trade here 
and also extends some facilities to the larger Chinese firms, but it 
does not usually give much accommodation to the white foreigners, 
and their trade with Europe, Shanghai, and the interior in both ex¬ 
ports and imports is handled mainly through the Busso-Asiatic Bank. 

The currency question in Manchuria is a puzzle, and nowhere is 
it more so than at Newchwang. There are numerous mediums of 
exchange besides the Newchwang transfer tael, on which local business 
is largely based and which amounts to nothing more than an I. O. U. 
One unsetthng element is the effort of the Government banks to force 
merchants to accept paper money not backed by reserves. The fluc¬ 
tuating value of the various moneys puts business on a speculative 
basis, and there can not be safe and sound trading until the currency 
becomes stable. This element of speculation is favored by some as 
affording opportunities for unusual profits, but so many have been 
hard liit in recent years, especially by fluctuations about the quarterly 
settling periods as well as fluctuations due to outside causes, that 
there is a strong demand for a stable currency. Many merchants do 
not think this is possible. One of them, on being informed that 
money in America had a fixed value, inquired why, then, American 
cloth values varied. He was so accustomed to money as well as 
cloth being treated as an object of barter that he could not under¬ 
stand how one could be more stable in value than the other. 

Some idea of the currency question at Newchwang can be obtained 
from the following partial exchange quotations for February 10, 1914. 
It should be borne in mind that the values of these and other mediums 
vary from day to day: 

$130 small coiii=100 gold yen. 

$133.60 small coin=100 rubles. 

$121 small coin=$100 Mexican. 

$119.10 small coin=100 silver yen. 

$100 small coin=76.80 Newchwang transfer taels. 

$100 small coin=56.70 hard Sycee taels. 

$100 small coins=$101.70 small coin paper notes. 

100 transfer taels=75 Shanghai taels. 

124 rubles=100 Shanghai taels. 

107 transfer taels=100 rubles. 

$100 Mexican=60.80 hard Sycee taels. 

As 100 gold yen is equivalent to $49.80 United States currency 
and 100 gold yen equaled $130 small coin dollars and $100 small coin 
equaled 76.80 Newchwang transfer taels, the value of the transfer tael 
was equivalent to 49.88 cents United States currency on that date. 

LOCAL PRICES OF COTTON GOODS. 

I 

The Newchwang Chamber of Commerce (native) publishes in the 
Chinese language a daily trade paper giving information of interest 
to the merchants, including quotations on some of the principal 
commodities, such as beans, kaoliang, millet, and rice, and. also on 
some of the main chops of cotton goods and yarns. These quotations 
are in Newchwang transfer taels, which on February 10, 1914, had an 
exchange value of 49.88 cents United States currency. The following 

48895°—14-16 



242 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


are the textile quotations of that day and their equivalents in United 
States currency: 


' 

Wholesale 

prices. 

Articles. 

Trans¬ 

fer 

taels. 

United 

States 

cur¬ 

rency. 

Cotton yams, per bale of 400 
pounds: 



No. 6, Foreign Lamp. 

115.00 

$57,362 

No. 10, Red Man and Bamboo 

134.00 

66.839 

No. 10, Man Carrying Tea_ 

1.34.50 

67.089 

No. 16, Unicorn. 

152.00 

75.818 

No. 16, Bluefish. 

156.00 

77.813 

No. 20/2, Sun and Crane. 

171.00 

85.295 

No. 20/2, Eight Immortals_ 

177.00 

88.288 

No. 20/3, Eight Immortals_ 

177.00 

88.288 

No. 32/2, Pair of Deer. 

215.00 

107.242 

No. 32/3, Pair of Deer. 

225.00 

112.230 

Grey sheeting, per 100 Chinese 
feet (40 yards): 



Buck’s Head. 

7.40 

3.691 

Dog’s Head in Circle. 

7.35 

3.666 

Horse and Dog. 

6.83 

3.407 

Three Rabbits. 

6. 73 

3.357 

Foreign Cat. 

6. 70 

3.342 

Pot and Peaches. 

5.55 

2.768 

Nine Dragons. 

5.45 

2.718 



Wholesale 

prices. 

Articles. 

Trans¬ 

fer 

taels. 

United 

States 

cur¬ 

rency. 

Grey sheeting, per 100 Chinese 
feet (40 yards)—Continued. 
Three Birds on Drum. 



4.95 

$2,469 

Pine and Deer. 

4.80 

2.394 

Grey drills, 80 Chinese feet (30 
yards): 



Horse. 

6.90 

3.442 

Three Fish. 

6.10 

3.043 

Dragon Head. 

6.50 

3.242 

Pair of Geese. 

5.85 

2.918 

Grey jeans, 80 Chinese feet: 



Three Stags’ Heads. 

5.80 

2.893 

Stag’s Head. 

5.20 

2.594 

Seven Lines and Squirrel. 

5.15 

2.569 

Chicken and Squirrel. 

5.10 

2.544 

Shirting, 100 Chinese feet: 



Two Men and Gun. 

7.60 

3.791 

Round Dragon, bleached. 

8.60 

4.290 

Round Deer.. 

7.60 

3. 791 

Five Colored Bells. 

6. 70 

3.342 


The No. 6 and No. 10 cotton yarns listed are Indian, the remainder 
Japanese. The Seven Lines and SquirreL’ jeans are the Pepperell 
jeans, whose beaver’’ is usually called ^‘squirrel” by the Chinese. 
The similar beaver chop of Ward, Probst & Co. (Enghsh) has only 
six lines of lettering and is called '‘Six Lines and Squirrel” chop. 

The foregoing are the chops now regularly quoted in this trade 
paper, but in addition many chops not listed are quoted by the mer¬ 
chants. It is to be noted that 2| Chinese small feet are equal to 1 
English yard, therefore 40-yard cuts of sheetings and drills are equal 
to 100 Chinese small feet. In the same way 30-yard lengths of jeans 
would be equal to 75 Chinese small feet, but these are given in round 
figures as 80 Chinese small feet; also, though Reiss Bros. "Round 
Dragon” white shirting is actually 411 yards long, it is quoted in round 
figures as 100 Chinese small feet. 

The prices quoted on cloths in the trade paper at Newchwang are 
higher than those given by merchants in interior towns a week or 
more later, but they are given as printed. The difference is probably 
due partly to the fact that the merchants frequently make sales lower 
than officially stated and also to the fact that the Newchwang prices 
were quoted just after the fluctuations due to the settlements at the 
end of the Chinese new year and before prices had had time to adjust 
themselves to the revival of trade after the hohdays. 


PRINCIPAL IMPORTERS OF COTTON GOODS. 

Most of the cotton goods imported at Newchwang come from 
Shanghai and are imported by Chinese. The principal foreign 
importers handhng cotton goods are A. Van Ness & Co., Arnold Kar- 
berg & Co., and Julius Jasperson. The principal Chinese importers 














































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


243 


of cottons are given as being Hung Li Der, Shih Chang Der, Yuen 
Chang Tung, Ta Sheng Hung, Hung Li Ho, Stiing Sheng Lu, Shing Gee 
Tzan, and Fu Yow Chang. According to statistics of imports by both 
ship and rail, American cotton goods still predominate in the trade of 
this place, the only point in Manchuria in which they still lead, but 
increasing competition is being offered by the Japanese. In addition 
to the American and Japanese cottons, both mainly in grey goods, 
there is a large import of Chinese hand-woven nankeens and a smaller 
trade in Shanghai mill sheetings, as weU as a considerable trade in 
Enghsh cottons, such as white shirting, Venetians, poplins, and jeans. 

The chief article in the piece-goods trade of this port is grey sheet¬ 
ing and shirting; the difference between these two is not clearly 
defined, hence they may be lumped together. Nankeen, jeans, and 
drills, with a smaller quantity of a wider range, are the other articles 
handled. 

TRADE IN GREY SHEETING. 

The bulk of the grey sheetiug now used in Manchuria is of Japanese 
manufacture, but this enters mainly through Dairen and Antung, 
and at Newchwang itself American sheeting still seems to predomi¬ 
nate. In hand-woven nankeen the Japanese are contesting the mar¬ 
ket with the Chinese and seemingly gaining. In jeans the English 
have displaced the American, and very little of the latter is now 
seen; the Japanese trade in this article is increasing, but is still much 
less than that of the English. In drill the situation is the same as in 
sheeting; the Japanese have the bulk of the trade in Manchuria as 
a -whole but in Newchwang the Americans seem to be slightly in the 
lead, though the Japanese are rapidly gaining. A feature of the 
market is that jeans are displacing drills to a large extent and that 
the demand for sheeting is now mostly for 3-yard and lighter weights, 
the heavier sheeting being sold to a smaller extent than formerly. 

The two American sheetings that are now the recognized market 
leaders at Newchwang are the ‘‘Horse and Dog’’ chop of the Loray 
Mills, of Gastonia, N. C., and the “Three Rabbits” chop of the Abbe¬ 
ville Cotton Mills, of Abbeville, S. C. Both are nominally 36 inches 
wide, finishing 48 by 48 ends per inch, and weighing 3 yards to the 
pound. Next to these the most largely sold American sheeting is 
the “Three Birds on Drum” of the Piedmont Manufacturing Co., of 
Piedmont, S. C. This is a 36-inch sheeting that weighs 4.70 yards 
per pound and is very popular for lining. Owing to the higher cost 
per yard of heavy sheetings the demand has greatly declined, and 
sales of 2.85-yard sheeting are not one-tenth those of 3-yard goods. 
Of the 2.85-yard sheetings that still enjoy a fairly good demand, the 
most prominent are the “Buck’s Head” of the Pacolet Manufactur¬ 
ing Co., of Pacolet, S. C., and the “Large dog’s head in circle” of the 
Whitney Manufacturing Co., of Spartanburg, S. C. In addition to 
the five above mentioned, smaller amounts are sold of various other 
chops, such as the “Cow and Straw” (Buffalo calf), “Dog and Deer,” 
“Fox Head,” “Running Wolf,” “Stag and Pine,” “Stag and Dog,” 
“Two Rabbits,” “Cats,” “Parrots,” “Large Hawk” (Eagle), and 
“First Class Birds.” Owing to its weight and quality, the 2.85-yard 
“Buck’s Head” brings a higher price than any other sheeting on this 
market, but the price restricts its extensive use. Inquiry as to 


244 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


“Indian Head” (known to the Chinese as “Big DeviFs Head”), 
“Small Dog’s Head,” “Man and Globe,” “Horse and Rider,” and 
other American sheetings that formerly sold well, caused the mer¬ 
chants to evince the interest that is shown at the mention of old 
but well-nigh forgotten friends and brought the reply that they 
were good cloths but that they had not been seen for several years.^ 
The Chinese Maritime Customs list “Three Birds on Drum” and 
other light-weight sheeting as shirting, the distinction between 
sheeting and shirting being roughly taken as those weighing over 
or under 9 pounds per 40 yards, but the dividing line does not seem 
always to be clearly marked, and grey sheeting and grey shirting 
should therefore be lumped together. 

LEADING JAPANESE CHOPS. 

Formerly, when the Japanese were starting their selling campaign 
in Manchuria, their main crop was the “Two Crabs,” made by several 
Japanese mills and sold by Mitsui Bussan Kaisha (the trade-mark 
being owned by this firm), but as this was a 2.85-yard sheeting there 
is very little of it now on the market. The Japanese mills now sell 
mainly under their mill chops, though they also put the private chops 
of Japanese dealers on their regular cloths where desired. Their 
main sheetings are now the “Nine Dragons” of the Kanegafuchi 
Boseki and the “Dragon C” of the Miye Boseki. These are nominal 
36-inch sheetmgs, the former being stated by the Japanese to weigh 
13i and the latter 13^ pounds per 40-yard cut. Some Chinese mer¬ 
chants considered these 3-yard goods, but others said that owing to 
the heavy sizing they could not place them on the same basis' as the 
American pure-sized sheetings and so usually considered them as 
3.25-yard goods, as that is about what they would be after the excess 
sizing was washed out. There is a smaller sale of several other 
chops, such as “Pot and Peaches” (showing a small peach tree in a 
pot), “Chinese Citrons” (showhig two of the Chinese citrons that are 
sometimes referred to as “Buddha’s Fingers”), “Butterfly in tri¬ 
angle,” “Two Dragons,” etc., together with a small amount of the 
2.85-yard “Rooster in Circle,” etc., but they do not seem to have as 
many sheetmg chops on the Newchwang market as they have at 
Mukden, Changchun, and other interior towns. The Japanese 
sheetings have been much improved in quality, but as they are made 
of inferior cotton and are heavily sized many merchants still stick 
to the American sheetings, owing to their better q[uality and to the 
fact that they have long-established connections in handling these 
goods. The Japanese sheetings, however, are so much cheaper that 
it is becoming increasingly difficult for the merchants, whatever their 
individual preference, to continue handling the higher-priced goods. 
A comparatively new feature of the market is the increasing amount 
of Shanghai sheetings now coming in. Sales of these sheetings, 
which are made on power looms in the mills at Shanghai, are very 
small as compared with those of either American or Japanese goods, 
but they show a tendency to increase and Shanghai sheeting will 
probably in the future become a factor to be reckoned mth. The 


1 Several of these American chops that have disappeared from Manchuria still enjoy a good sale at 
Tientsin and other points In China proper. 




COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


245 


main chops seem to be the ^^Cow,” the '‘Two Stags/^ "Two Horses/^ 
and the "Flying Dragon.’^ These sheetings have a harsh feel and 
seem much inferior to the Japanese in weaving. 

HAND-WOVEN NANKEEN. 

Next to grey sheeting (including grey shirting) the largest demand 
seems to be for the narrow hand-woven nankeen. The weaving of 
narrow nankeen on hand looms is a very large industry in China, 
especially in the Yangtze Valley, and a large amount is exported 
annually from Shanghai to Manchuria through the port of New- 
chwang. The customs list the Chinese nankeen by weight and the 
Japanese nankeen (called by them "Japanese cotton cloth’O by 
length, hence an accurate comparison of the imports is difficult, 
owing to the variations in width, weight, and length of pieces. How¬ 
ever, it is clear that the Japanese are gaining a very large share of 
this trade. Japanese and Chinese nankeen usually comes in pieces 
from 22 to 24 yards long; the Japanese ship chiefly in lengths of about 
54 shaku (shaku = 14.913 inches) and the Chinese in lengths of 38 
Chinese big feet (Chinese big foot = about 21J inches). The Japanese 
usually put 60 pieces in a bale, each bale containing only one variety 
and being covered with burlap, like sheeting bales. The Chinese 
usually ship several varieties, totaling about 40 pieces in a bale and 
use no extra covering; they put the cloth up in circular form around 
a hollow core and bind with ropes. Most Chinese nankeen is pure¬ 
sized and unbleached while the Japanese is usually half-bleached and 
also starched. The Chinese merchants state that the Japanese 
cloth is usually better woven and has a better feel (the latter prob¬ 
ably being due to the mixing of Indian cotton with the harsher 
Chinese cotton exclusively used by the Chinese) and that the more 
attractive appearance of the Japanese nankeen and the manner in 
' which it is packed largely aid its sale. 

JEANS AND DRILLS. 

Grey jeans are largely sold at Newchwang. A jean is really a fine- 
woven drill of finer yarn and as it has a more dressy appearance, 
besides being stronger and wearing better, it is now displacing drill 
to a large extent for use singly in the summer and for the outer cov¬ 
ering of the padded clothes used in the winter. When I was in Man¬ 
churia in the fall of 1906 the demand in this line was dominated by 
the "Beaver’’ jean, 29 inches wide, 3.55 yards per pound, in 30-yard 
cuts, supplied by the Peppered Manufacturing Co., of Biddeford, Me. 
This is now rarely seen and has been supplanted by English jeans, 
mainly those made by the mills of Richard Haworth & Co. (Ltd.), 
of Manchester, which come in lengths of 30 and 40 yards. There are 
several English "Beaver” chops now on the market, especially those 
bearing the names of Alfred Dent & Co., of Shanghai, and Ward, 
Probst & Co., of Shanghai (both made in England), also chops sold 
directly under the brand of Richard Haworth & Co., such as "Stag’s 
Head,” "Three Stags’ Heads,” and "The World, John Bull, and 
Chinaman,” the last named being sometimes called the "Atlas” 
chop, as it shows John Bull reaching out the Haworth crest across a 
map of Europe and Asia to a Chinese. 


246 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


Despite the popularity of jeans there is still a large sale of drills, 
and in these the Japanese are rapidly gaining the market. In drills, 
as in sheetings, the 3-yard and 3.25-yard now find a better sale than 
the 2.85-yard. In drills the best selling American goods seem to be 
the “Standing Horse’’ (Unicorn) of Pelzer Manufacturing Co., the 
“Flying Horse” of the Massachusetts Mills, the “Two Rabbits” 
(Cameron Mills), and the “Dragon” or “Griffin” of the Pepperell 
Manufacturing Co., followed by others, such as “Man, Horse, and 
Bow” (Centaur), “Horse and Rooster,” “Eagle Family,” “Three 
Fishes,” etc. The leading Japanese drills are the “Dragon Head” and 
the “Blue Geese” (or “Pair of Geese”) of the Miye Boseki, which 
are followed by the ‘ ‘ Phoenix, ’ ’ “ B ats, ” ^ ^R ooster in Circle, ” “ Elephant 
in Star,” and others. The American drills are mostly 72 by 48 or 
70 by 46 construction; the Japanese “Dragon Head” and “Bats” 
and “Litaibai” (a Chinese saint) chops are of about the same con¬ 
struction, but cheaper; however, the Japanese have gained the market 
laigely through the use of cheaper drills, about 60 by 40 construction, 
such as the “Geese,” “Phoenix,” and other makes. 

GREY AND WHITE SHIRTING-T CLOTH. 

As above stated, the customs list a large number of ordinary 
36-grey sheetings of light weight under the heading of “grey shirt¬ 
ings.” In addition to these, there is a considerable sale of grey 
shirting of the standard English type, about 38 to 39 inches wide 
and 38 to 39 yards long, these weighing mostly between 7 and 11 
pounds per piece, with constructions varying from 14 by 11 to 
18 by 20 ends per quarter inch. The standard grey shirting of this 
kind is that weighing 81 pounds per 38Uyard length, 38| inches vide, 
and having 60 by 56 ends per inch. Most of these have head ends 
consisting of a few picks of coarse and tinsel yarns at the end of 
each cut. 

The white-shirting trade is still almost entirely English, though 
the Japanese are now competing vith a few makes. These cloths 
are mostly 35 inches wide, running from 32 to 37 inches, and in lengths 
of 40 to 42 yards. The most popular make is the “Round Dragon” 
chop (showing a Chinese dragon curled up inside a circle) of Reiss 
Bros., Manchester. This is 35/36 inches wide, about 68 by 60 
construction, and weighs 12 pounds per piece of 41J yards. 

The imports of T cloths are very small and are mainly English 
goods with colored head ends; the Japanese ship in a few without 
head ends. These are usually 31 inches wide and either 24 or 40 
yards long. 


VELVETS, VELVETEENS, POPLINS, CHINTZES, ETC. 

The cotton velvets and velveteens formerly were entirely from 
England, but in the last few years the English have had to divide 
the market with the Russians. The English cotton velvet is mostly 
22 inches wide and 30 to 35 yards long, while the Russian is mostly 
18 inches wide and about 50 yards long. 

The English have a good sale in 30-inch, 30-yard pophns, and there 
is also a good sale of their 30-inch chintzes and cretonnes, but in 
ordinary shirting prints the Russians are driving them off the mar- 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


247 


ket. ^ The Russians have concentrated on this article and are rapidly 
gaining the entire Manchurian trade. By giving away samples, es- 
tabhshing numerous agencies, giving long credits, selling any quan¬ 
tity desired from their large stocks, etc., they have developed this 
business to an importance it never before attained. These prints 
are mostly 24/25 inches wide, with a few wider, and they are claimed 
by the Chinese merchants to be of faster colors and more attractive 
designs than those shipped here by the English, besides being cheaper. 
Large stocks and longer credits seem to aid the Russian trade in this 
line more than the lower prices. 

There is a steady demand for Venetians with a Schreiner finish that 
makes them resemble silk. These are exclusively from England, 
are 30 inches wide, and weigh 14 and 14^ pounds per 30-yard cut. 
The demand here is for slightly wider Venetians than are used in the 
southern part of Cliina, where the English sell few Venetians over 29J 
inches and where the demand is mostly for 28 and 29 inch goods. 
There is now but a small demand for Italians and a declining demand 
for black las tings. These latter have a hot-press finish and the 
Chinese claim that when used for outer clothing they spot badly in 
rain, so they prefer to use either Venetians or jeans; the English ship 
in a fair amount of jeans dyed black. 

The Turkey-red cambrics are all English, mostly 36-inch 40-yard 
cuts, but the Japanese ship in some 31-inch Turkey-red shirtings that 
are really dyed T cloths. The trade in each is small. 

Cotton flannels have a fair sale, and the ‘‘Locomotive” chop of the 
Tremont & Suffolk Mills, of Lowell, Mass., is among the most popular. 
The Chinese merchants state that they buy two kinds of these, one 
labeled “GH” that is 26 Chinese inches wide and the. other labeled 
“GE” that is 24 Chinese inches wide. Canton flannels have a small 
sale; they are 30 and 36 inches wide, mostly the former. 

HANDKERCHIEFS, TOWELS, BLANKETS, AND YARN. 

Handkerchiefs are mainly Enghsh, with a small amount from 
Japan. Those for men are generally plain white, and those for women 
fancy bordered; the latter trade is much the largest. 

Narrow cotton towels are imported from Japan for use as face 
towels; for bath purposes the Chinese ordinarily prefer the scrubbing 
quahties of the plain rough nankeen. 

The cotton blankets imported are mainly the cheap varieties made 
with cotton waste filling. The two principal sizes are the 3J-pound, 
56 by 78 inch, and the 5-pound, 68 by 88 inch. The kind most largely 
imported is grey, with stripes at the end, and comes from France; a 
slightly better bLmket, in red, manufactured by Van Heek, of En¬ 
schede, Netherlands, has a good sale. A few blankets are also 
imported from Japan. 

The cotton-yarn trade is mainly for 16s and under, with a 
smaller amount of 20s, 32s, and 42s in ply. ^ Counts under 16s are 
mainly Indian; 16s and above are almost entirely from Japan. 

RAILWAY TRANSPORTATION AT NEWCHWANG. 

In studying the trade of Newchwang one has to consider the 
import and export of goods by rail as well as by water. The Peking 
Mukden Line of the North Cluna Railway runs from Peking, via Tien- 


248 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


tsin, Shanghaikwan, nd Hsimnintiin, to Mukden. At Koupangtze 
a line branches off and runs 59 miles to Newchwang, or rather to the 
west bank of the Liao River, across which one is ferried, when the 
river is open, to Newchwang. During the open season mail, passen¬ 
gers, and a very small amount of goods enter Newchwang in this 
manner from the west. During the winter there is no traffic this way. 
On the east side of Newchwang is the Japanese settlement containing 
the terminal of a branch of the South Manchuria Railway that con¬ 
nects with the main line at Tashihchiao, some 14 miles away. Dur¬ 
ing the winter some cotton goods, mainly Japanese, enter this way 
by rail from Dairen, and most of the cotton goods that are shipped 
north to the interior from Newchwang now go by this route; only 
trifling amounts are now shipped up the Liao River. 

IMPORTS BY RAIL AT NEWCHWANG. 

Upon request the wharf office of the South Manchuria Railway Co. 
compiled the following statement of the amount of goods entered by 
rail at Newchwang during 1911, 1912, and 1913. No record is kept 
of value, and the quantities are all in tons of 2,000 pounds each. 


Articles. 

- 1911 

1912 

1913 

Bags, gunnv. 

Tons. 

Tons. 

618 

Tons. 
1,001 
15,255 

Bean cake. 

13,569 

2,808 

11,912 

Beans: 

Green. 

2,336 

811 

Small. 

710 

109,304 

487 

other. 

GO, 132 

86,279 

Bristles, pier. 



Canned goods and provisions. 



294 

Cereals: 

Kaoliang. 

5,505 
' 841 

23,061 

638 

6,644 

1,870 

Com. 

Italian millet. 

730 

Rice. 

865 

1,155 

499 

Other kinds. 

1,085 

1,382 

l'682 

2,198 
2,953 
384,113 
889 

Cloth, cotton. 

3'695 

Coal... 

215!161 
511 

248,247 
690 

Cotton yam. 

Firewood and charcoal. 

1,489 

3,228 
1,348 
1,670 
1,219 

1,019 

380 

532 

Flour. 

4,654 

i;627 

1,420 

Medicinal and dyeing materials. 

'767 

Metals. 

920 

l' 169 

Oil: 

Bean. 

641 

1,365 

Kerosene. 




Samshu.. 

Seeds, melon...:. 

1,209 

1,778 

2,607 

1,049 

Stones. 

18,630 

5,773 

7,802 

528 

Twigs, willow and others. 


Srmdry articles for use of railway.. 

14,927 

582 

39,200 

3,485 

2,271 

Timber. 

1^561 

2,162 
1,354 

Tobacco, all kinds... 

'736 

Vegetables and fruits. 

680 

'696 

672 

Articles, uuenumerated_____ 

6,281 

7,223 

7,227 



Total__-. 


359,595 

, 406,951 

601,260 



This shows that the principal a:ti>''le brought into Newchwang by 
rail is coal, and the great bulk of it is for the railway. Of regular 
merchandise the chief articles are beans and bean cake. The imports 
by rail of cotton cloth and cotton yarn are small. Taken in con¬ 
junction wdth the larger imports by sea, as compiled by the Chinese 
Maritime Customs reports, the figures show that the bulk of the 

















































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 249 

cotton cloth used in Newcliwang itself is of American rather than 
Japanese origin. 


SHIPMENTS FROM NEWCIIWANG. 

The quantity of merchandise forwarded from Newchwang to the 
interior via the South Manchuria Railway in 1911, 1912, and 1913 
was as follows: 


.. Articles. 

■ 

1911 

1912 

1913 

Bags, gunny. . 

Tons. 

1,791 

Tons. 

2,689 
2,120 
1,240 

Tom- 

2,504 

Bamboos. 

1,146 

1,161 

Bricks. 


3,375 

416 

Candles. 

856 

798 

Canned goods and provisions. 

1,417 

1,540 

1,188 

Cereals; 

Rice... 


622 

3,243 

4,465 

other. 

2,922 
19,668 
1,163 

4,136 

Cloth, cotton. 

20,743 
2,753 

16'820 

Cotton, raw. . 

2 ; 904 
2,033 
5,011 
3,523 
2,721 

Cotton yarn. 

2,715 

3,858 

2,913 

1,195 

3 '687 
5,112 

Earthenware and china ware. 

Fish, fresh and dry. 

3 ' 172 

fIout. 

3 ; 729 
3,276 
4,385 
7,571 

Mats of all kinds. 

2 ; 200 

3,919 
6,845 

4,986 

4,634 

7,035 

485 

Medicinal and dyeing materials. 

Metals.. 7. 

Miso and soy. 


Oil: Kerosene. 

22,177 

18,903 

18^700 

7,828 

1,354 

Paper, all kinds. 

7,828 
864 

8,503 
1,850 
2,454 

Receptacles. 

Reeds and hay. 

1,038 

758 

Sake. 

'952 

'712 

858 

Salt. 

50,253 

39,776 

63,283 

509 

Samshu. 

Stones. 



294 

Sugar. 

10,219 
9,776 

14,691 

12,994 

5,049 

1,831 

Sundry articles for railway.. 

3,765 

1,954 

Tea. 

l',607 

Timber.. 

4 '782 

3,486 

2,967 

3,257 

2,766 
2,450 

Tobacco, all kinds. 

2,359 
2,488 
9,938 

Vegetables and fruits. 

3,165 

ArtirlA.'?- nnftmimftratftd_ 

9 ', 626 

9 ; 819 




Total....... 


176,889 

178,517 

198,162 




DAIREN. 

The Kwantung Leased Territory, sometimes known as Kwantung 
Province, lies at the southern extremity of the Liaotung Peninsula. 
Its area is stated by the Japanese as 219 square ri (1,300 square miles) 
and its population as about 500,000, of whom about 50,000 are 
Japanese exclusive of the Japanese army and naval forces. This 
territory was formerly included in Shengking Province but in 1898 
Russia obtained control on a 25-year lease from China. As a result 
of the war of 1904-5 the unexpired portion of the lease was taken 
over by Japan and the territory is now administered by that country. 
The only two places of importance are Dairen and Port Arthur. 
Port Arthur, called l)y the Japanese Ryojun, was heavily fortified by 
the Russians, but after its capture by the Japanese all the forts were 
dismantled except those at the entrance. The harbor at Port Arthur 
is small and inconvenient and is not used for commerce. Under the 
Japanese, Port Arthur is used as headquarters for the Japanese army 
of occupation, but otherwise its population has decreased, mauy shops 
have been closed, the buildings throughout the town are falling into 















































250 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


disrepair, and its local trade has greatly decreased from what it 
was under Russian rule. 

On the other hand Dairen, called by the Russians Dalny (^Rhe 
distant’’), has greatly increased in importance under Japanese rule. 
This town lies on the south shore of Talienwan Bay, in the south¬ 
eastern extremity of the Leased Territory, and 38.9 miles by rail 
from Port Arthur. Dalny was founded by the Russians, during 
them occupation of Kwantung, as the southern terminus of the 
Russian railway from Harbin to the sea. Their object was to obtain 
a seaport in the Far East that would be open the year round, as the 
other terminus of the Russian railway at Vladivostok was closed by 
ice much of the year. The Russians planned a model town with well- 
constructed streets and substantial buildings of brick and stone and 
spent much money. They also had ambitious projects as to the 
port facilities and commenced piers and breakwaters, but these were 
in an incomplete state at the tune the place was taken over by the 
Japanese. 

The Japanese have extended the main west pier and doubled its 
width, as well as working on the completion of other piers, including 
a new oil pier; they have built breakwaters to protect the port and 
dredged the harbor and the fairway outside. The harbor facilities 
are now very good and are being steadily improved, at heavy cost, 
to make this one of the best ports of the Far East and capable of 
accommodating the largest ships. Dairen is the southern terminus 
of the South Manchuria Railway, whose main line runs north to 
connect with the Russian line to Europe at Changchun (Kwan- 
chengtze). Since the Japanese occupation Dairen has been the main 
entry port for Japanese goods; its importance has so increased that 
it has supplanted Newchwang as the leading port for Manchuria and 
has become one of the most important ports of all China. It is the 
chief export port for beans and the principal import port for cotton 
goods, the two leading articles in the trade of Manchuria. 

FORTIFIED ZONE ACT—CUSTOMS ADMINISTRATION. 

The South Manchuria Railway wharf office is seriously handicapped 
by the operation of the fortified zone act on the Dairen wharves. 
Permission of the Ryojun (Port Arthur) fortress office must first 
be obtained when buildings are to be erected in the compound, and none 
of a permanent character are permissible. Under the act all build¬ 
ings are subject to removal whenever ordered. Under these limita¬ 
tions the railway a few years ago, erected a number of warehouses 
of a temporary character, which may more properly be called goods 
sheds, at an outlay of 200,000 yen, and introduced a good fire- 
insurance service. The present warehouse service, however, hardly 
gives a sufficient guaranty of protection against fire, rats, wet, etc., 
and though the military authorities have allowed raised concrete 
floors to be installed in some of the warehouses, they still prohibit any 
permanent buildings. Efforts are now being made by the railway, 
aided by the commercial interests, to get the authorities to permit 
the erection of standard warehouses of a permanent character. 

In accordance with an agreement concluded in June, 1907, be¬ 
tween Japan and China respecting the establishment of a maritime 
custom house at Dairen, it was decided to make the whole of the leased 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


251 


^rritory of Ivwantiing a free zone, that is, goods brought by sea to 
Dairen are subject to import duties only when they cross the bound¬ 
ary of the leased territory into China, and those coming from China 
into the leased territory pay export duties only when they are ex¬ 
ported from Dairen. For the collection of these export and import 
duties a customhouse under the control of the Chinese Government 
was estabhshed at Dairen and opened on July 1 , 1907. The Commis¬ 
sioner of Customs and his force are Japanese and their control of the 
customs have given rise to dissatisfaction among the Chinese and for¬ 
eign merchants who import through Newchwang. 

In regard to smugghng the Manchuria Daily News of Dairen, under 
date of March 5, 1914, stated: 

The_ Chinese_ Government, with a view to preventing the smuggling of duty-free 
goods into the interior of Manchuria through the Kwantung Leased Territory, has re¬ 
peatedly requested the Japanese Government to place the customs system at Dairen 
on a footing similar to what obtains at the port of Tsingtau. The Japanese Government, 
however, declines to define its attitude on the subject before it has made exhaustive 
study thereof worthy of its serious bearings upon the Japanese interests in Manchuria. 

EFFECT OF ALL-RAIL SHIPMENTS THROUGH CHOSEN. 

Goods entering Manchuria from the Kwantung Leased Territory 
are supposed to pay full duty, while since June 2, 1913, goods entering 
Manchuria across the Yalu River bridge at Antung from Chosen are 
entitled to a one-third reduction. This reduction of duty applies to 
aU goods entered by rail at Antung, without regard to the country 
in which they originate. ^ The Chosen Government Railways, with 
a view to increasing their volume of traffic, have greatly reduced 
their freight rates and have special through rates from Japan via this 
route. The South Manchuria Railway had agreed to combine with 
the Imperial Railways of Japan and the Chosen Government Rail¬ 
ways to give a special reduced rate to Mukden, but on protest of the 
Dairen business men has withdrawn from its part of the agreement. 
The Japanese importers at Dairen have been much exercised over the 
increased competition of the Antung route and also at the proposal 
to limit the free-trade zone in the Kwantung Leased Territory and to 
narrow it to a free-trade zone embracing only the wharf compound at 
Dairen. In this connection the following article in the issue of the 
Manchuria Daily News for March 3, 1914, is of interest: 

The Dairen Business Men’s Association has drafted a representation to be presented 
to the Imperial Government Railways, the South Manchuria Railway Co., etc. It 
is pointed out that the bulk of the imports for consumption in Manchuria used to be 
brought in via Dairen and Yingkow. According to the customs returns for 1912 the 
imports to South Manchuria aggregated 76,401,570 taels, of which 47 per cent entered 
via Dairen, 45 per cent via Yingkow, while Antung and Tatungkow combined ac¬ 
counted for only 8 per cent. Early in June, 1913, when the reduction of the customs 
duties by one-third at Antung took effect and the specific through freight rates over 
the Imperial Government Railways and the Chosen Government Railways were 
brought into operation in August, 1913, on through goods booked to Manchuria from 
Japan, the tendency of imports from Japan being attracted to the Chosen route began 
to manifest itself, and the through goods traffic via what is often known as the “over¬ 
land route” via Chosen and Antung quickly increased at the expense of the port of 
Dairen. The association is doubtful if the port of Dairen will be the only sufferer 
from the effects of the artificial diversion of Manchurian imports to the Chosen route. 
In their opinion such a diversion will disorganize the trade channel via Dairen that 
has served the commercial interests of Japan during almost ten years past. This in 
itself will be detrimental to the development of the Japan-Manchurian trade. Japan 
being situated most advantageously with Manchuria, there exists no call for the further 


252 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


reduction of the through railway freights such as the specific through rates under 
notice. For, it will be competing against the Japanese, whose vested commercial 
interests command due respect and ought not to be trampled down wantonly. An¬ 
other salient feature of the argument is that Mukden or any other center north thereof 
should not be made the base of Japanese trade operations, in other words, the accumu¬ 
lation center for Japanese imports, because the Chinese consumers will readily see 
whether the Japanese are overstocked or short stocked and will play their games 
accordingly. On the other hand, the port of Dairen is equipped with the up-to-date 
harbor appointments which have already cost the South Manchuria Railway Co. 
an enormous outlay. This port is provided with enormous warehousing accommoda¬ 
tions at reasonable rates and with free insurance service. Any surplus stocks may be 
shipped away to Shantung ports, to Tientsin, or to Shanghai. Again, if the Chosen 
route comes to absorb imports from Japan, the port of Dairen will pass into an export 
port, ceasing to be an import port of any consequence, which will put a check to the 
growth of this port. 

Later the same paper, under the head of “Tables turned against 
Chosen route/’ stated: 

The manager of the wharf office of the South Manchuria Railway Co. became 
satisfied that, as matters stand, through goods booked from Japan to Mukden via the 
Chosen route reach their destination one or two days earlier than via the Dairen route. 
Hitherto three or four days intervened after arrival of cargoes by steamer at Dairen 
and before their dispatch by train to destinations in the interior. The enterprising 
manager has therefore instituted nocturnal cargo working service for the through 
cargoes so that they may be forwarded by rail on the day following the entry of the 
steamers. This will enable the consignees to receive their goods one or two days 
sooner than would be the case if booked via Chosen. 


On March 5 , 1914, the Osaka Shoien Kaisha also reduced steamer 
rates on cotton cloths and yarns as follows: 


Articles, 

Yen per bale. 

CM rate. 

New rate. 

Grey cottons. 

0.70 

.80 

.80 

1.20 

0.60 

.60 

.70 

1.05 

Cotton sheeting. 

Cotton yarn, small (200 pounds). 

Cotton yarn^ large (400 pounds). 



The above has taken effect on goods shipped to Dairen from Kobe 
and Osaka since March 1, 1914, and has been notified to the Cotton 
Importers’ Union at Dairen. 

ADVANTAGES OF TRADING THROUGH DAIREN. 

The representation of the Dairen Business Men’s Association is of 
interest as showing not only the attempt of the Japanese importers 
at Dairen to preserve the established trade route through Dairen, 
but also for their statement of the advantage now accruing to them 
in storing goods in warehouses at Dairen, where the stocks on hand 
can not be readily ascertained by the Chinese merchants in the inte¬ 
rior and yet where they can be available for quick delivery. The 
Chinese always wish to keep their money in circulation, hence it is 
of great advantage in competing for their trade to have stocks that 
can be delivered in small lots as desired, but it has been the experience 
of those who have tried to carry stocks in the interior that the Chinese 
have always tried to bear the market by refusing to buy in such cases 
until the carrying charges on heavy stocks have forced the owners 















COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


253 


to sell at a reduction. The Japanese have hitherto been able to avoid 
this by carrying small stocks at interior points and ordering goods 
up from the Dairen warehouses only as actually required. If they 
have to make Mukden or Changchun their accumulation center they 
will lose one of the main advantages they now possess over foreigners. 
As it is, the reduced freight rates in Chosen and the reduced customs 
duties at Antung vnW probably result in foreign goods from Shanghai 
being landed at Chemulpo and brought in via Antung, with a reduc¬ 
tion of cost; a Japanese who is now importing American sheeting via 
this route is selling at Mukden 10 cents (small coin) per piece cheaper 
than can merchants who are receiving their goods via Newchwang. 

JAPANESE IMPORTERS—TRADE METHODS. 

The Japanese firms at Dairen importing cotton goods are as follows: 
Mitsui Bussan Kaisha, Nisshin Yoko, Eijun Yoko, Tsunodo Shoten, 
Okura & Co., Komei Yoko, T. Yuasa & Co., Kata Yoko, Sudzuki 
Yoko, and Saito Yoko. 

klitsui, Eijun, and Tsunodo are the oldest in point of establishment 
in the Manchurian trade. Nisshin Yoko is the China branch of the 
Japanese firm of Nippon Menkwa Kabushiki Kaisha—Japan Cotton 
Trading Co. (Ltd.). These firms (excepting only the Mitsui) have 
an association at Dairen called Menshiku Dogyo Rengokai—Cotton 
Goods Guild Association—and meet every Tuesday to talk over 
matters connected with the trade, but they publish no price lists or 
other information. 

Mr. S. Nagahama, director of the firm of Eijun Yoko and chairman 
of the Business Men’s Association of Dairen, states that a few Ameri¬ 
can and English cottons are handled through Dairen, but that the 
great bulk of the goods are Japanese; also, that though there is a 
local association of Chinese merchants, they do little business direct 
with either Shanghai or Japan and buy chiefly from Japanese im¬ 
porters. He says that the Japanese import cottons from Japan on 
30 days’ sight and that Japanese banks charge 4^ per cent interest. 
He states that at Newchwang the Chinese get somewhat longer 
credits, as they have a quarterly settling-day system called Kuo lii yin, 
but that it is becoming unpopular, and if it is done away with the 
Japanese at Dairen will be in a better position to compete in handling 
foreign as well as Japanese cottons. At Dairen everything is on the 
basis of the gold yen; at Newchwang the currency is very mixed and 
this aids speculation, but. even there the notes of the Yokohama Specie 
Bank are gradually winning their way. The trade in cotton goods 
from Shanghai continues to be done through Newchwang, as the 
Chinese merchants there have long-established connections with 
Shanghai and give larger contracts; at Dairen, with short credit from 
the banks and less speculation, Mr. Nagahama says it is difficult to 
make any profit in handling the higher-priced goods from America. 
At times the Japanese importers handle American goods, but as a 
rule this is not profitable. Conditions in Manchuria are different 
from those at Tientsin and some other ports of China, where goods 
can be sold for cash; in Manchuria the people are largely farmers 
and the merchants have to wait on the crops for their payments. In 
selling to the wholesale merchants the Japanese importers, therefore, 
have to give time, but they are now trying to do away with one 



254 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


element of uncertainty by combining to refuse to accept any money 
except the gold yen in the south and the gold ruble in the north. 

PKINCIPAL GOODS IN DEMAND. 

Mr. Nagahama also stated that the Manchurian demand is mainly 
for sheeting and nankeen, that these enjoy a year-round demand, 
while the sale of drills is intermittent, these goods being handled 
chiefly at the beginning of winter. He stated that the drill trade had 
failed to keep pace with the sheeting trade, as jeans, mainly English, 
are being largely substituted therefor, and that the Japanese had not 
been able to undersell the English on jeans to the extent that they 
were able to undersell Americans on sheeting and drill. The Japa¬ 
nese And a go^d market in Manchuria for nankeen when the Chinese 
/ output is short or when there is a specially good demand. The nan¬ 
keen is mostly impor.ted in the grey or half-bleached condition, and 
is sold retail in the dyed condition. Most of this is desired in some 
shade of blue, and while the Japanese and Chinese methods of hand 
dyeing are about the same, the Chinese can dye locally somewhat 
cheaper, hence the Japanese have had little success in importing these 
goods already dyed. In the smaller trade in black nankeens the 
Japanese have had more success, as they do these somewhat better 
than they are dyed in Manchuria, and can therefore compete on better 
terms. 

Mr. Nagahama said that the ‘^Nine Dragons’^ of the Kanegafuchi 
Boseki had been the Japanese sheeting sold most largely in Manchu¬ 
ria, but that last year the ‘^Dragon C'^ chop of the Miye Boseki had 
been improved by the use of better cotton, and it now enjoys the best 
sale. The Pair of Geese ’’ chop of the Miye Boseki is the most largely 
sold Japanese drill, but in some centers preference is given to the 
closer-woven “Dragon Head’’ chop of the same mills. He stated 
that the difference in price between American and Japanese sheetings 
of the same nominal weight is usually 75 to 80 sen (say, 35 to 40 cents) 
per piece, sometimes amounting to as much as 1.30 yen (say, 65 cents) 
per piece, but he admitted that the Japanese goods are made of inferior 
cotton and sized much heavier. He said, however, that the Manchu¬ 
rian demand is for cheap goods, and that he could not see much future 
for American goods in Manchuria at the present relative prices; in 
fact, the Japanese expect the Shanghai mills, when they get their 
help better trained, to be their chief competitors. 

PKICES OF JAPANESE SHEETINGS AND DRILLS. 

i 

Eijun Yoko had no American goods on hand, so could not quote 
prices, but gave the following as the wholesale prices in Dairen (before 
payment of dut , as this is a free-zone port)on February 14, 1914, on 
some of the leading Japanese chops: 


Articles. 

Yen per 
piece. 

Dollars 
per piece. 

Articles 

Yen per 
piece. 

Dollars 
per piece. 

Sheetings: 

Nine Dragons. 

Three Sheep. 

Dragon C. 

Butterfly in Tr’angle. 

Two Dragons. 

4.90 

4.90 

4.87.5 

4.85 

4.85 

2.440 

2.440 

2.428 

2. 415 
2.415 

Drills: 

Dragon Head. 

Geese. 

Phoenix. 

Lion. 

Elephant. 

5.85 
5.20 
5.20 
5.15 
5.10 

2.913 

2.590 

2.590 

2.565 

2.540 

























COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


255 


The “Three Sheep’^ chop is a private chop, owned by Eijun Yoko, 
which is pushing its sale especially at Mukden. It is made by the 
Kanegafuchi mills, and is exactly the same sheeting that is put out 
by those mills under their own brand of the “Nine Dragons.’’ The 
“Lion” and “Elephant” drills above are not'much sold’in Man¬ 
churia, but all of the others are well known there. The ‘^Elephant” 
drill is different from and inferior to the “Elephant in Star,” quoted 
elsewhere. The 2.85-yard “Rooster in Circle” sheeting that finds a 

f ood sale at Tientsin and some other points in China is rarely seen in 
[anchuria. 

COMPARATIVE PRICES OF JAPANESE AND AMERICAN GOODS. 

The manager for Mitsui Bussan Kaisha at Dairen states that his firm 
occasionally handles some American goods, but that the difference in 
price is such that it does not pay and that it handles these goods only 
to oblige customers who want some of the better-made American 
goods laid down in their warehouse, together with the much larger 
amounts of Japanese goods handled as regular lines. He courte¬ 
ously promised to make up a statement (with samples) showing the 
present differences in cost per piece at Dairen of competing Japanese 
and American cloths. These he later forwarded under date of Feb¬ 
ruary 24, 1914, as follows: 


Articles. 

Mill and chop. 

D&scription. 

Price per piece 
c. i. f. Dairen. 


Yen. 

Dollars. 

Grey sheetins:: 

American. 

Pacolet, Buck’s Head. 

36 ins. bv 40 yds., 14 lbs. 

6.60 

3.29 

Tn na n asp. 

Miye, XXX. 

.do. 

5.45 

2.71 

A mprinan.. 

Abbeville, Three Babbits . 

36 ins. by 40 yds., 13J lbs. 

6.15 

3.06 

-Tana n PSP 

Kanegafuchi, Nine Dragons... 

.do. 

4.90 

2.44 

Un 

Miye, Dragon C. 

.do. 

4.80 

2.39 

Grey drill: 

AmRripa.n __ 

Pepperell, Dragon. 

30 ins. by 40 yds., 14 lbs. 

6.70 

3.34 

Ta.nanpsp _ 

Miye, Dragon Head . 

. do. .'_'. 

5.80 

2.89 

Amprinan _ 

Piedmont, Parrots . 

30 ins. by 40 yds., 13tt lbs . 

6.00 

2.99 

TananPSP _ 

Miye, Geeso . 

30 ins. by 40 yds., 13 lbs . 

5.20 

2.59 

Grey shirting: 

Ampripa.n .. 

Victoria Mills, Man and Gun. .. 

36 ins. by 40 yds., 12J lbs . 

7. 20 

3.59 

Japanese . 

Grey jeans: 

'RnP'li’sh . . _ - 

Miye, Soldier and Spear. 

Haworth, Beaver. 

36 ins. by 40 yds.; 12^ lbs. 

29^ ins. by 30 yds., lbs. 

6. 20 

4.80 

3.09 

2.39 


Kanegafuchi, Fukurokuju. 

.do. 

4.40 

2.19 

White shirting: 

"Rnplish _ 

Reiss Bros., Round Dragon... 
Tokyo, Kakushigi. 

36 ins. by 411 yds., 12 lbs. 

8.00 

3.98 


36 ins. by 40 yds., 11^ lbs. 

7.00 

3. 49 







The prices quoted are the prices landed in Dairen before duty is 
paid. 

The Miye Mills XXX is the best sheeting sold from Japan (contain¬ 
ing 1,770 ends in the warp as compared with 1,644 ends in most of 
its other sheetings), but the amount sold is small as compared with 
its cheaper varieties. The head end carries a chop that seemingly 
represents the sun, as it has a smiling face in a circle and rays pro¬ 
jecting through five other concentric circles; underneath this is: 
“XXX. Superior Sheeting. Miye Cotton Spinning & Weaving 
Mills. 40 yds.” 





























































256 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


^‘Fukurokuju’^ is the Japanese name of the chop used by the 
Kanegafuchi on grey jeans. It shows a deer with a twisted scroll in 
its mouth, while overhead is a bat; sometimes called the ‘^Deer and 
Bat” chop. 

‘‘Kakushigi” is the Japanese name of a chop used by the Tokyo 
on white shirting. It shows a man in a chair and three boys before 
him; sometimes called Saint and Boys” chop. 

From these prices, as given by Mitsui^s agent, it appears that the 
Japanese have the greatest advantage in gr.y sheeting and shirting 
and grey drills, while their advantage is less on grey jeans and on 
white shirting (considering the difference in length and weight of the 
white shirting samples shown). In the first two articles they are 
imitating and trying to displace American goods, and in the latter 
English goods. 

GOODS HANDLED BY MITSUI BUSSAN ICAISHA. 

According to Mitsui’s agent at Dairen the sheeting chop with which 
it opened the Japanese selling campaign in Manchuria after the Rus¬ 
sian War was the ‘^Two Crabs,” which was a private chop owned by 
Mitsui and not by the mills. In 1906 the five largest weave mills in 
Japan formed a ‘^Cotton Cloth Export Association,” with Mitsui 
Bussan Kaisha as trustee of the association, to ship their output 
under one chop to Manchuria, the mills agreeing to make the cloth as 
uniform as possible. Two mills withdrew after the first year, leaving 
only the Miye, Osaka, and Temma Orimono. This selling association 
broke up in 1912 and the mills now sell their own chops through 
various dealers.. Mitsui still sells some of the ‘^Two Crabs” chop 
made for it by the Osaka Boseki, but this is a 14-pound sheeting 
(2.85 yards to the pound), and as the demand is mostly for lighter and 
hence cheaper makes the sale of this chop is now very small. 

Most of the Japanese jeans sold in Manchuria are made by the 
Temma Orimono mills, their 30-yard, 9-pound ‘^Elephants and Pa¬ 
goda” having the best sale, but there are others and one of the best 
woven is made by the Kanegafuchi mills and sold by Mitsui under its 
private chop of the “Fukurokuju,” or ‘^Deer and Bat” brand. The 
Japanese are gradually increasing their output of jeans, but find strong 
competition from the English, who control the bulk of the trade. 
Mitsui’s agent states that it is also bringing in some white shirting 
chops from Japa^ , but that the sales are yet very small as compared 
with the sale of English white shirting. 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


257 


IMPORTS AT DAIREN. 


The following table shows the source of the cotton yarn and cloth 
imported into Dairen in 1911, 1912, and 1913, according to records 
of the Dairen Wharf office, in tons of 2,000 pounds: 


Shipping ports. 

Yarn. 

Cloth. 

1911 

1912 

1913 

1911 

1912 

1913 

Tokyo and Yokohama. 

2 

117 

34 

313 

314 

76 

Osaka. 

1,390 

1,844 

2,287 

3,8.33 

473 

6,215 
2,644 

8,322 

9,567 
3,157 

Kobe. 

1^277 

3^242 

3', 785 
1,157 

Moji and Shimonoseki.. 

'451 

'479 

753 

l'332 

Nagoya. 

38 

266 

1,287 

1,405 

2^635 

1,170 

3^18 

Yokkaichi. 


'899 

'827 

Nagasaki. 




1 

19 

Handa. 





24 

Rokurin. 




305 

115 

Ushina. 

11 

3 

6 

47 

34 

18 

Chiimampo. 



4 

Chemulpo. 






2 

Fusan. 





’ 1 

1 

Antung. 






9 

Pitzwo. 






1 

Newchwang. 




3 



Tientsin.. 





352 

36 

Lungkao. 





1 

1 

Chefoo. 

2 

25 

83 

1 

67 

32 

Tsingtau. 


24 


13 

4 

Shanghai. 

885 

676 

1,291 

1,407 

3,339 

3,179 

Hongkong.^_■. 

15 

65 



Hamburg. 

29 

71 

18 

21 

23 

41 

Marseille. 

1 


Antwerp. 

35 

57 

108 

2 

3 


Glasgow... 

2 

2 



11 

Liverpool. 

8 

5 

12 

2 


313 

London. 

4 


1 

17 

22 

8 

Middlftsboro . 




4 


TTnitfid Kingdom (ports not sperified) . _ 


6 





Now York . 


4 


9 










Total. 

4,149 

6,862 

9,458 

14,017 

21,358 

21,776 








The great bulk of the cotton yarn and cotton goods entered at 
Dairen is from Japan, chiefly the ports of Osaka and Kobe, followed 
by Nagoya and Moji and Shimonoseki. Of other than Japanese 
goods few enter from any other port than Shanghai, though most of 
the goods credited to that port are, of course, English and American, 

MUKDEN. 

Mukden is the Manchu name of the city called by the Chinese 
Shengking and by the Japanese (as shown on their railway schedules) 
Fengtien. It was the capital of the early Manchu emperors from 
1625 until they removed to Peking and ascended the Dragon Throne 
in 1644. It has since remained the capital of Manchuria, and is also 
the capital of the Province of Shengking (Fengtien). 

Mukden stands in a large plain and but 3 miles distant from the 
right bank of the Hun River, a tributary of the Liao. The city 
proper is about a mile in diameter, being more in the shape of a nut 
than a circle, and is inclosed by great brick walls about 30 feet high. 
There are eight gates, of which the main ones are protected by 
barbican as well as towers, while isolated battle towers are located 

48895°—14-17 










































































258 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


within the town at strategic points on the avenues leading from these 
gates. The palace is located in the center of the town. The streets 
are mostly narrow winding lanes, with somewhat wider avenues to 
the main gates. The town is held by a large force of Chinese soldiers, 
and order is maintained by a body of police armed with rifles. The 
city gates are closed at 10 o’clock (Chinese time) every night, and no 
one is admitted until the morning. 

Outside the city walls proper is a large suburb surrounded by mud 
walls. All around the town are thousands of the unmarked dirt 
mound graves of the Manchus, and near by are also the mausoleums 
of the first Manchu emperors, the latter being known as the ^‘ImjDerial 
Northern Tombs.” As the city is surrounded by tombs, the Chinese 
authorities would not allow the Russians when building their railway 
to place the station within 10 miles of the town, but advantage was 
'taken of the breaking out of the war with Japan to move the road 
farther in. The station of the South Manchuria Railway is now 
about a mile from the main gate of the walled city and is a large 
brick building with a central dome. It is two stories high and con¬ 
tains one of the Yamato hotels that have been established by this 
railway along modern lines. The station and hotel lie within the 
Japanese railway concession, and Japanese soldiers, acting as railway 

g uards, patrol the platform day and night. Mukden is on the main 
ne from Dairen to Changchun and also the junction for the lines 
from both Chosen and Peking, so that it is the crossroads of Manchuria 
and the most important strategical center. The Japanese have 
macadamized the streets that they have laid out in the concession 
and have built one and two story brick buildings on the plaza facing 
the hotel and on the streets radiating from this center. One of these 
streets diverges toward the main gate of the city and is traversed by 
horse cars. 

Mukden was opened to foreign commerce June 1, 1906, by virtue 
of the stipulations of the Chmese-American treaty of 1903. No 
accurate census has ever been taken, and its population is variously 
stated as between 100,000 and 150,000. 

PKINCIPAL IMPORTERS—BANKS. 

At Mukden there is an agency of Mitsui Buss an Kaisha and also 
agencies of other Japanese firms handling piece goods, such as 
Nisshin Yoko, Yuasa & Co., Eijun Yoko, Okura & Co., Sudzuki & Co., 
and others. Foreign firms located here that handle piece goods 
more or less are Arnold Karberg & Co., Brand Bros., Hugh Gunn & 
Co. (American), Carl Wolter & Co., and Shaw Bros. 

The leading Chinese wholesalers handling piece goods are as follows, 
in the order of their approximate relative importance: Hung Shuen 
Sheng; Hsing Shuen l^ee; Heng Hsing Yuan; Heng Hsing Chang; 
Yu Sheng Chang; Tung Tseng Lee; Shuang Ho Te; I Fung Chang; 
Tien Ho Lee; Hsing Shuen I; Tien Ho Tung; Heng Shang Yuan; 
Fu Feng Tung; Shwang Yu Heng. 

Mukden contains branches of the Yokohama Specie Bank, the Bank 
of China, and the Bank of Communications (Chinese), as weU as local 
banking firms. 

The bulk of the Mukden trade is local, but goods are distributed 
from this town eastward for some 200 miles or more, and a small 
amount is also sent 40 miles westward to Hsinmintun. 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


259 


COMPETITORS OF AMERICAN SHEETING. 

Inside the city proper some of the older firms still handle fair 
amounts of American sheeting, and the merchant class usually prefer 
American cloth for their own use, but the bulk of the sheeting now 
sold is Japanese, and in the suburbs, where the demand seems to be 
almost entirely for cheap goods, practically no American cloth is to 
be found in the stores. The Japanese are very strongly intrenched 
in the trade at Mukden, more so than in almost any other town in 
Manchuria, and bring goods in through both Dairen and Antung. 
The largest Chinese wholesaler estimated that at least 80 per cent of 
the local sheeting trade is in Japanese chops, and he says that the 
local drill trade is almost entirely Japanese. Some ‘ ‘Standing Horse/^ 
“Two Rabbit*,’’ and other American drills are sold here, but only in 
small quantities. 

The main American sheetings sold at Mukden are the “Horse and 
Dog” and “Three Rabbits” brands of 3-yard goods; all other chops 
are sold in much smaller amounts. The American “Three Birds on 
Drum” sheeting had a good sale for fining, but it has decreased in 
popularity. There are several cheaper Japanese imitations, but the 
merchants state that its chief competitor has been the closer-woven 
“Elephant God,” called by the Chinese the “Fu Shang,” or “God of 
Prosperity,” an English grey shirting. This latter is slightly higher 
in price, 6.80 small coin dollars as against 6.40 small coin dollars, but 
is 72 by 76 construction, as against 48 by 48, while the width of 
both is the same, 36 inches, and the weight the same. The 
Chinese gave the weight of both “Three Birds on Drum” sheet¬ 
ing and “Elephant God” shirting as 7 catties, which, as the local 
Mukden catty weighs only 1.22^ pounds, is equivalent to 8^ 
p^ounds per 40-yard piece, or 4.70 yards to the pound. The “Two 
Deer A>” grey shirting as made by the Osaka Boseki, 36 inches, 
68 by 68 construction, has taken the place of the American 
“Man, Horse, and Spear” grey shirting formerly sold by Mustard & 
Co. Many brands of Ameiican sheetings and drills formerly well 
known here have disappeared and have been replaced by Japanese 
goods. Here, as elsewhere, the Japanese imitate foreign goods that 
have a good sale and attempt to bring in a cheaper substitute that 
resembles as closely as practicable the original article. 

JAPANESE SHEETING AND DRILL. 

There are numerous chops of Japanese sheeting on the Mukden 
market, the most popular seeming to be the “Dragon C,” the “Three 
Sheep,” and the “Nine Dragons.” The two last named are made by 
the Kanegafuchi mills and are the same cloth, but the “Three Sheep” 
is the private chop of Eijun Yoko and has been exploited by that 
firm until it seems to enjoy a larger sale than the “Nine Dragons” 
chop of the mill. By allowing their cloth to be sold under private 
chops in competition with the regular mill chops the Japanese manu¬ 
facturers aid their sales by reason of the greater efforts a dealer will 
make in selling his own chop, and the chance he has of stimulating 
trade by advertising its superior qualities without so much direct 
price-cutting competition as he would have if others were selling 
under the same brand. 


260 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


The Japanese drill sold most largely at Mukden is the “Dragon 
Head/' which is followed by the “Geese" and “Phoenix" brands. 
The “Dragon Head" drill has a 72 by 48 construction, and hence is a 
closer-woven and higher-priced drill than other chops like the “Geese," 
etc., which are mostly 60 by 40 construction; but its larger sale at 
Mukden is due to the fact that the Japanese have succeeded in having 
it adopted for the outer coating of the padded uniforms worn by the 
local soldiers and pohce. At each military center in China there is a 
military-uniform lactory and a supply store for such factory; some 
supply-store owners seem to find it more profitable to their interests 
to buy one cloth and some another. For instance, at Kirin the 
“Geese" drill is used for the troops. Instead of woolen uniforms 
are used those made of ordinary cotton drill (dyed the light grey or 
other color desired), and in the colder sections like Manchuria these 
, are in winter padded with cotton between the outer drill and an inner 
lining of cotton sheeting. In Manchuria all of the large orders for 
drill and sheeting required by the soldiers and police are supphed 
by the Japanese, and this is a considerable item in their total sal s. 

TRADE METHODS. 

The Chinese merchants state that Mitsui sells in gold yen only 
and will not accept any local currency such as the Chinese “small 
coin" silver in payment; occasionally when it suits the firm's purpose 
it may take a payment in silver yen. Some of the merchants buy 
outright from Mitsui and others sell for Mitsui on the usual 2 per 
cent commission. Mitsui usually gives 30 to 45 days' time, occasion¬ 
ally up to two months, but this is usually worked on a part-payment 
system that amounts to a permanent credit of a certain fixed amount 
to each firm. Brand Bros, and some other foreign firms accept pay¬ 
ment in silver yen and now give as long time as Mitsui or longer. One 
of the foreign firms that has tried to stick to cash or else very short 
credits claims that the credit now usually demanded is the fault of a 
few foreign firms who have been led into extending time by reason of 
the keen competition, and that formerly, when all piece goods came 
from Shanghai, it was a cash trade with Shanghai and only 14 days' 
credit given locally. 

The Chinese merchants estimate that in 1913 Mitsui alone sold at 
Mukden some 3,000,000 yen worth of piece goods, but they assert 
that at one time the firm had so much owing on its books and the 
merchants to whom it had extended credit were so slow in settling 
up that the firm complained to the chamber of commerce. The latter, 
however, replied that the matter was none of its business and that 
if a firm gave excessive credit it had only itself to blame. 

PRICES. 

On grey sheeting and drill the retail prices at Mukden do not seem 
to be more than 10 per cent above the wholesale, but on goods in 
which the turnover is smaller the amount added for profit and ex¬ 
penses is usually larger. Merchants who sell the dyed goods seem to 
make a larger percentage than when they sell undyed goods, as 
they add the nominal quotations for dyeing and then obtain a good 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


261 


rebate from tlie dyer for quantity. The business and consumption 
tax paid by merchants at Mukden on all goods handled is supposed 
to be 2.2 per cent. They state that this is paid on their sales of all 
goods brought in from Newchwang, but does not have to be paid 
by them on goods bought locally from Mitsui. 

One of the largest Chinese wholesale firms at Mukden states that 
competition is so keen cn staple sheetings and drills that it is able 
to add but 5 sen a piece on the purchase price in selling to retailers. 
For instance,-it stated that it was buying locally from Mitsui (it 
receives no commission and buys ou right, though with 30 days’ 
time) Japanese ‘‘Dragon C” sheeting at 5.10 gold yen and was selling 
• to local retailers at 6.85 small coin dollars. The exchange on that 
day was 1.332 small coin dollars to the gold yen, so it was buying 
at 5.10 yen and selling at the equivalent of 5.143 gold yen, which gave 
a margin of only 4.3 sen, or 2.1 cents United States currency, per 
piece of 40 yards. For the Japanese “Butterfly in Triangle” and 
“Two Dragons” sheeting, however, it paid only 5.05 gold yen a piece 
and sold at 6.85 small coin dollars to the retailers. Hence it seemed 
to make a larger profit on the chops that are not so much in demand 
and to shave prices very close on those in which there is strong compe¬ 
tition. 

PRICE OF GOODS BOUGHT THROUGH ANTUNG. 

One Chinese wholesaler who is handling American sheeting com¬ 
plained that Heng Shang Yuan was selling the same sheeting on 
the market at 10 cents small coin a piece cheaper than the price at 
which the firm could possibly make any profit. On inquiry at this 
firm’s office I found this was true as to the three chops of “Horse 
and Dog,” “Three Babbits,” and “Three Birds on Drum” (the only 
ones they were handling and those most in demand at Mukden). 
Examination showed that these were not imitations, but the regular 
goods, and the firm explained that it was purchasing through a Japa¬ 
nese associated with the firm, who brought the goods in from Shanghai 
via Chemulpo and Antung and who, with the benefit of the lower 
duty at Antung and cheaper freights, was able to sell these cloths 
lower than they could be bought at either Newchwang or Dairen. 

To show the comparative freight and other charges from Osaka 
to Mukden via Dairen and via Antung, the Mukden agency of Mitsui 
Bussan Kaisha in February, 1914, furnished the following statement 
to the American consulate at Mukden: 


Items. 

Sheeting. 

Shirting. 

Drill. 

Jean. 

Osaka to Mukden via Dairen: 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Yen. 

Ocean freight from Osaka to Dairen, at 0.12 yen per cubic foot... 

0.90 

1.68 

0.90 

0.90 

Import charges at Dairen, 1 sen per 100 catties (1.3.3^ pounds).... 

.03 

.04 

03 

.03 

Import duty. 

3.70 

10.35 

3.85 

4.15 

Railway freight from Dairen to Mukden. 

1.10 

1.95 

1.13 

1.20 

Total charges per bale. 

5.73 

14.02 

5.91 

6.98 

Total charges per piece (40 yards). 

.29 

.28 

.295 

.21 

Osaka to Mukden via Antung: 

Railway freight from Osaka to Mukden via Antung (special 
rate of 0.97 yen per 100 catties). 

2.134 

3.78 

2.18 

2.33 

Import duty. 

2. 464 

6.89 

2.56 

2.76 

Total charges per bale. 

4.598 

10.67 

4.74 

5.09 

Total charges per piece (40 yards). 

.23 

.214 

.237 

.165 




























262 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


With the keen competition and the close prices at which such 
staple goods have to be sold, a difference of 2 to 3 cents a piece is 
sufficient to give the overland’^ route via Antung the preference, 
and though the bulk of the Japanese cloth still comes in via Dairen 
an increasing amount is being routed via Antung. Japanese at 
Dairen are working for the continuation of Dairen routings and 
besides attempting to get a lower freight rate from Dairen to the 
interior, as well as lower ocean rates from Japan, they have also 
demanded that goods from the Kwantung Leased Territory be given 
the same preferential customs duty as is now given at Antung, on the 
ground that both enter by rail from continuous territory; there is 
not much chance of their obtaining any lowering of the duty, however 
much they may be able to offset the other advantages of the Antung 
route. 


JEANS, WHITE SHIRTING, ETC. 

The jeans most largely sold at Mukden are the English Beaver,’^ 
‘^Stag’s Head,” and ‘‘Three Stags’ Heads,” though the Japanese are 
bringing in increasing amounts of “Elephants and Pagoda,” “Star 
and Crescent,” and “Deer and Bat” jeans and seem to be having 
more success with them at Mukden than at most other centers. The' 
American “Beaver” jean that formerly had the market here is now 
almost unknown, as the price is too high, though its good quality is 
admitted by all. 

The white shirting trade at Mukden is handled in good measure by 
foreign firms (most of these are English goods, though the Japanese 
are now offering stronger competition), but they state it is a more 
risky and fluctuating trade than the handling of staple grey goods. 
There is some sale of fancies at Mukden, but the trade is not large. 
There is a permanent demand for Venetians; poplins sell well; and 
cotton sateen prints are to some extent taking the place of the figured 
silks formerly worn by the merchants. The Russian prints sell well, 
the popular price being 10 cents small coin per Chinese big foot; 
the demand for such narrow shirting prints in recent years has largely 
mcreased, otherwise there is no great change in the general demand, 
as in Manchuria the style of dress has not changed as it has in some 
of the coast towns of the south. 

COMPARATIVE PRICES. 

On February 26, 1914, the gold yen was quoted at Mukden as 
equivalent to 1.332 small coin dollars, which made the exchange 
value of the small coin dollar 37.388 cents United vStates currency. 
The following are the prices at which some of the main chops were 
were being sold by the Chinese wholesalers on that date, the prices 
being quoted in small coin dollars per piece of 40 yards for sheeting, 
shirting, and drills and per piece of 30 yards for jean. I have added 
a column showing the equivalent rates per piece in American cur¬ 
rency at the exchange values ruling February 26, 1914. 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


263 


Articles. 

Whole¬ 
sale 
prices 
in small 
coin 
dollars. 

Equiva¬ 
lent price 
in IT. S. 
currency. 

Articles. 

Whole¬ 
sale 
prices 
in small 
coin 
dollars. 

Equiva¬ 
lent price 
in U. S. 
currency. 

American sheeting: 

Horse and Dog. 

Three Rabbits. 

Three Birds on Drum.... 

Buck’s Head... . 

Dog’s Head in Circle. 

Eagle. 

18.80 
8. 75 

6.40 

9.40 
9.30 

• 8.75 

8. 70 
9.50 
9.50 
9.50 
9.70 

6.85 
7.10 
7.00 
6. 85 
6.85 

$3.290 
3.271 
“2.393 
3.514 
3.477 
3.271 

3.253 

3.552 

3.552 

3.552 

3. 627 

2.561 

2.655 
2.617 

2.561 

2.561 

Japanese sheeting—Contd. 

Man and Elephant. 

Chinese Citrons. 

Japanese drill: 

Dragon Head. 

Geese. 

PhoeniT 

$6.85 

7.30 

8.30 
7.60 
7.00 
7.90 

-4 

8.70 
6.80 

6.70 
6.70 

7.30 

7.00 
7.00 

$2,561 

2.729 

3.103 
2.841 
2.61J’ 
*■ 2.95i 

, 3.253 

2.542 

2.505 

2.505 

2.729 

2.617 

2.617 

American drill: 

Stand imj Horse. 

Two Rabbits.. 

Flying Horse. 

Man, Horse, and Bow.... 

Dragon. 

•Japanese sheeting: 

Dragon C. 

Three Sheep. 

Nine Dragons. 

Two Dragons. 

Butterfly in Triangle. 

Litaibaio. 

Grey shirting: 

Two Deer A f.Tapane.se).. 

Fu Shang (English)^. 

English jean: 

Squirrel (beaver). 

Stag's Head. 

Three Stags’ Heads. 

Japanese jean: 

Elephants and Pagoda ... 
Star and Crescent. 


o “Litaibai” is the name of the Chinese saint shown on this chop, who is called by the Japanese "Ritai- 
haku.” ’ j 

b This chop shows an elephant-headed god and is called by the Chinese ‘'Fu Shang,’’ or “God of Pros¬ 
perity.” 

The Chinese wholesalers in giving the above prices at which they 
sold said that they were buying locally from the Japanese agents the 
“Dragon C” sheeting at 5.10 gold yen a piece, “Three Sheep’' at 5.20, 
“Nine Dragons” at 5.15, “Chinese Citrons” at 5.40, and “Butterfly in 
Triangle,” “Two Dragons,” and “Man and Elephant” at 5.05 gold yen 
a piece, also “Dragon Head” drill at 6.15 and “Geese” drill at 5.45 
gold yen apiece. 

They were buying from the Japanese agents of the Kanegafuchi 
mills “Blue Fish” yarn No. 16, at 143 yen ($71.21) per bale of 400 
pounds and the “Rising Sun” 32/3 yarn at 161 yen ($80.18) per bale 
of 400 pounds. They were also buying through the Japanese the 
Indian “Tea Carrier” No. 10 yarn at 136 yen ($67.73) per bale of 
400 pounds. 

CHANGCHUN. 

Changchun (“Long Spring”) seems to be the correct name of the 
city that is shown on most maps as Kwanchengtze (“Large walled 
town”) and popularly so called. The northern terminus of the South 
Manchuria Railway (called Changchun) and the southern terminus 
of the Chinese Eastern Railway (called Kwanchengtze) are about 1^ 
miles apart and each about the same distance from the city proper. 
There is a branch line from Kwanchengtze so that the Russian and the 
Japanese trains draw up on opposite sides of the station at Changchun 
and all passengers making the through trip to or from Europe have 
to change cars at this station, as the Russian line has a 5-foot and the 
Japanese a 4-foot 8i-inch gauge. The station of the Chinese railway 
to Kirin is located a short distance from the Japanese station, hence 
Changchun is the meeting point of railways managed by three nations, 
a fact that has greatly increased its importance. From Changchun 
to Dairen wharves is 437i miles, to Mukden 190 miles, to Newchwang 
300 miles, to Kirin 80 miles, and to Harbin 152 miles. Changchun 
is undoubtedly the natural distributing center for the whole of central 














































264 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


Manchuria. It is a busy city whose trade is growing steadily, and as 
it is not only the best interior distributing point but the center for 
the accumulation and export of Manchuria’s staple crop of beans, 
many foreign firms are establishing branch offices to handle both 
export and import trade. 

The city was opened to foreign trade on January 14, 1907, by vir¬ 
tue of a proviso of the Chino-Japanese agreement of December, 1905. 
The population is uncertain but is estimated to be over 100,000. The 
only consulates at Changchun are the Russian and the Japanese. 

BANKS—FOREIGN FIRMS—DIVISION OF TRADE. 

At Changchun, in addition to the Chinese banks, there are branches 
of the Russo-Asiatic Bank and the Yokohama Specie Bank, and these 
handle the foreign trade. The foreign firms handling piece goods 
more or less are Jardine Matheson & Co., Colman & Co., Brand Bros., 
and Zindels & Co. (of Moscow). Mitsui has one of its main agencies 
at this point and the other Japanese dealers also have connections 
here. 

The Chinese merchants estimate that in 1913 Mitsui sold some 
5,000,000 yen of cotton goods at this point. Only a portion is used 
in the town itself, as Changchun is the distributing center for a large 
territory, including Harbin to the north and Kirin to the east. They 
state that if last year (1913) there had been an agency here handling 
American cloth it could have done a very large business during the 
attempted boycott of Japanese goods. 

At present about two-thirds of the sheeting and drill sold at this 
point are estimated to be Japanese and about one-third American and 
Chinese. Of the cotton goods shipped north from this point (with the 
exception of some prints and velvet from Russia, north Manchuria is 
mainly supplied from Changchun) about half is Japanese, about a 
third American, and the remainder Chinese and British. Of the goods 
shipped to Kirin from Changchun probably three-fourths are Japanese. 

LEADING BRANDS OF SHEETING. 

The chief sheetings sold at Changchun seem to be the ‘‘Dragon C,” 
“Three Chickens,” “Horse and Dog,” “Three Rabbits,” “Nine Dra¬ 
goons,” “Three Birds on Drum,” and “Man and Elephant.” The 
leading drills seem to be the “Dragon Head,” “Geese,” “Elephant 
in Star,” “Standing Horse,” and “Two Rabbits,” and the leading 
jeans seem to be the “English Squirrel” (beaver) and the Japanese 
“Elephants and Pagoda.” 

The Chinese wholesalers state that the demand is mainly for cheap 
goods, and that they can sell 100 bales of Japanese goods where they 
can sell 60 American. Several inquired if there was no way to cut 
out the Shanghai expenses and get in American goods at more com¬ 
petitive prices, asserting that the American goods are so much better 
m quality and so much preferred by the merchants in general that 
they could sell them even if the prices were somewhat higher than those 
olfered by the Japanese. At the present prices they have to substi¬ 
tute Japanese for the higher-priced American goods in order to hold 
their trade. They maintain that unless the Americans arrange some 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


265 


way in which to supply goods more cheaply American trade will con¬ 
tinue to decline, and that in addition to the price being reduced there 
ought to be some way by which American goods could be delivered as 
required. The Japanese carry stocks at Dairen and can deliver 
quickly in any size lots desired, and the Americans should meet this 
competition by having an agent in the country carrying stocks for 
prompt delivery. It is so much more convenient to order locally 
from the Japanese agents that many firms here which formerly main¬ 
tained agents with firms at Newchwang and Shanghai have with¬ 
drawn them as a useless expense. 

Goods that come from Shanghai are usually shipped via Newchwang 
during the summer and fall; only a few come via Dairen, as that makes 
them more expensive, and they are usually shipped that way only 
when required during the winter and are not available at Newchwang. 

The local trade starts about October 1 and lasts until about the 
middle or end of May. During the four months from May to October 
the trade is almost absolutely dead, as the farmers are then busy at 
home with their crops and the roads are so bad as to be almost im¬ 
passable. 


COMPARATIVE PRICES. 

On February 21, 1914, the local exchange rates gave 10.300 tiaos as 
equal to 1 ruble, 7.640 tiaos as equal to 1 dollar Kirin Province small 
coins, and 12.990 tiaos as equal to 1 ounze Sycee silver. The gold 
yen was quoted at 10.150 tiaos, but the ruble is the standard gold cur¬ 
rency on which comparative values have to be based at Changchun, 
Kirin, and points north, as is the gold yen at Manchurian points to 
the south. The Chinese wholesalers were buying in gold rubles and 
the following are their buying prices on February 21, 1914, at Chang¬ 
chun for some of the main chops sold here: 


Articles. 

Wholesale buying 
prices. 

Russian 

currency. 

United 

States 

currency. 

American sheeting: 

Horse and Dog. 

Rubles. 

6.45 

$3.322 

Three Rabbits. 

6. 40 

3.296 

Three Birds on Drum.... 

4.75 

2. 446 

Buck's Head. 

7.10 

3.656 

Dog’s Head in Circle. 

7.00 

3.605 

Man, Horse, and Bow.... 

6.99 

3.554 

Cow and Straw. 

5.19 

2.627 

Fox Head. 

6.20 

3.193 

Running Wolf. 

6.10 

3.142 

Dog and Deer. 

6.20 

3.193 

Eagle. 

6. 20 

3.193 

American drill: 



Standing Horse. 

6.10 

3.142 

Pdying Horse. 

6.80 

3.502 

Two Rabbits. 

6.80 

3.502 

Man, Horse, and Bow.... 

6.60 

3.399 

Dragon. 

7.00 

3.605 

Japanese sheeting: 


2. 690 

Dragon C. 

Three Chickens (roosters). 

5.03 

5.06 

2. 606 

Nine Dragons. 

5.05 

2. 600 


Articles. 

Wholesale buying 
prices. 

Russian 

currency. 

United 

States 

currency. 

Japanese sheeting—Contd. 
Two Dragons. 

Rubles. 

5.04 

$2.595 

Man and Elephant. 

4.95 

2.549 

Chinese Citrons. 

5.15 

2.652 

Bird (Tokyo mill). 

4 90 

2.524 

Japanese drill: 



Dragon Head. 

6.00 

3.090 

Gees^e. 

5.60 

2. 884 

Phoenix. 

5.75 

2.961 

Elephant in Star. 

6. 40 

3.296 

English jean: 



Squirrel (beaver). 

Three Stags’ Heads. 

4.50 

2.318 

4.70 

2. 420 

Japanese jean: 



Elephants and Pagoda ... 

5.20 

2.678 

Star and Crescent. 

5.15 

2.652 

Shanghai sheeting: 



Cow. 

6.15 

3.167 

Ram’s Head. 

5.80 

2.987 

Horse in Circle. 

5. 40 

2.781 

Griffin. 

4.75 

2.446 















































266 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


TRADE IN CHINESE-MADE GOODS. 

Shanghai sheetings are more in evidence at Changchun than at any 
other point in Manchuria. They are chiefly the heavy makes, and 
as the demand tends toward lighter weights the sales are compara¬ 
tively very small, but on these qualities they tend to displace the 
Japanese as weU as the American. Those most largely sold seem to 
be the “Cow’’ chop, 36 inches wide, 46 by 46 construction, and 
weighing 15 pounds per 40-yard piece; the 14J-pound “Ram’s head”; 
the 13J-pound “Saddled Horse in Circle”; and the 10-pound “Flying 
Dragon” or “Grifhn.” These are branded as “Jessfield Mills Stand¬ 
ard Sheeting” and are made by the Rung Yik Cotton ginning & 
Weaving Co. (Ltd.), of Shanghai. Jar dine, Matheson & (3o., a firm 
of English merchants, are the general managers of this cotton mill, 
and it is through their Newchwang and Changchun branches that 
this cloth is put on the Manchurian market. The Kung Yik Co., 
at Shanghai, has an authorized capital of 1,000,000 taels, of which 
536,500 taels is paid up, and operates 25,576 spindles and 300 looms. 
This company was incorporated in 1910 under British control, and 
in 1911 paid a 12 per cent dividend and in 1912, 15 per cent. 

No Shanghai drills were in evidence, and in jeans but one chop, the 
“Abacus” brand, of the Ewo mills of Shanghai. This jean had a 
very rough feel and was 29f inches wide, having 2,772 ends total in 
warp, counting about 93 by 50 ends per inch, and came in lengths of 
40 yards. 

Nankeen is largely sold at Changchun and makes up from one- 
fourth to one-third of the total cloth sales. There is keen competi¬ 
tion between the Chinese and the Japanese nankeen, the former being 
pure-sized grey goods and the latter chiefly half-bleached cloth, 
most of which is starched. Both are made entirely on the hand 
loom. The merchants state that Chinese nankeen will stand a 
year’s wear, while Japanese nankeen wiU not last over eight months. 
The Japanese cloth, however, looks better, as most of it is half 
bleached, besides being better put up in burlap-covered bales con¬ 
taining only one make to the bale. The Chinese nankeen comes packed 
in circular bales with a hoUow core. It is covered with nankeen and 
tied with ropes, and each bale contains several varieties, with a 
total of some 40 pieces of 38 Chinese big feet each. A smaU amount 
of nankeen, also a trifle of sheeting, is made on hand looms in Chang¬ 
chun and its neighborhood, but the total output is estimated at not 
more than 10,000 pieces annually. This hand-loom trade requires 
mostly 10s and 16s cotton yarns, the former being usually from 
India and the latter from Japan. Japan supplies the higher counts, 
required in smaller amounts, the usual numbers of these being 20/1, 
20/2, 32/2, 32/3, and 42/2. 

WHITE SHIRTING, T CLOTH, ETC. 

The white shirting sold at Changchun is mostly English, though 
the Japanese are beginning to offer stronger competition. The 
goods most in demand are medium-starched finishes of 35/36-inch 
widths, weighing 8| to 9 pounds per piece of 40 to 42 yards; these 
are now quoted the foreign firms from Manchester at 11s. to 123 . 
per piece c. i. f. Dairen. 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


267 


The sale of T cloths, Turkey-red shirtings, and lastings is very 
srnall at this point, but there is a good business in poplins, 30 inches 
wide, 30 yards to a piece, 30 pieces to a case, and a steady trade in 
Venetians. English velvets come 22 inches wide in lengths of 30 
and 35 yards, and are now being sold by the Enghsh importer to the 
Chinese wholesaler at 45 to 55 kopecks a yard. Russian velvets are 
mostly 18 inches wide and offer strong competition to the Enghsh. 

'RUSSIAN TRADE IN SHIRTING PRINTS. 

On ordinary shirting prints this market is now controlled by the 
Russians, who have practically driven English prints off the market, 
and who have worked up a larger trade in this article than was ever 
attained before. Tire Russians have not manufactured specially for 
this market, but they have been successful in creating a demand for 
prints which they are selling in Russia and elsewhere and which 
differ in design and appearance from the prints formerly in demand 
in Manchuria. They inaugurated a strong selling campaign here 
and elsewhere in Manchuria by giving away samples to children and 
by advertising extensively, using gorgeously lithographed posters 
showing Chinese women and children wearing prints and examining 
others in a store with shelves crowded with all colors of printed goods. 
These posters were distributed to banks, shops, and customers and 
were pasted up at street corners. The Russians opened a wholesale 
store handling only prints; they offered favorable terms, up to nine 
months, to Chinese handling their goods, and they concentrated on 
this one article. At Changchun there are now several shops that 
handle nothing but Russian prints, and the same is true of other 
towns. The Russian prints are numbered from 1 to 8 and most of 
them are 24/25 inches wide; the usual construction is about 88 by 68, 
and they are mostly 7 to 8 yard goods. The Chinese were retailing 
these prints at 10 cents Kirin Province small coin per small Chinese 
foot. On February 21, 1914, 1 ruble equaled 10.300 tiaos and 
7.640 tiaos equaled 1 dollar Kirin small coin; so that, the ruble being 
equal to 51.5 cents United States currency, the Kirin Province small 
coin dollar was worth 38.2 cents United States currency. A Chinese 
small foot is equal to 14.4 inches. These prints were, therefore, re¬ 
tailing at 3.82 cents United States currency per 14.4 inches, or, say, 
9.55 cents per yard. The designs on these Russian shirting prints 
are much nearer American than English, and are partly small-figured 
leaves, flowers, etc., in blue, red, etc., on a white ground, and partly 
all-over prints in blues, pinks, blacks, etc. At the prices given there 
would seem to be a chance of American competition, except for the 
fact that the Russians give long credits and sell in as small lots as 
desired, down to one bolt, from large stocks kept on hand in each 
town. In addition to the ordinary shirting prints, the Russians 
supply smaller amounts of printed sateens, cretonnes, etc. Most of 
their printed goods of all kinds are 24/25 inches wide, with some 
27/28-inch and a few 30-inch. 

importer’s views of AMERICAN TRADE. 

An English importer at Changchun, who now has a good trade in 
English white shirting, jeans, Venetians, poplins, and cotton velvets, 
states that he can not get suitable coarse yarn sheeting and drill from 


268 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


England to compete with the Japanese at the right price. He is 
anxious to make connections direct with American exporters and 
mills and to act as their agent to develop this trade. With his estab¬ 
lished connections he is sure this could be made a mutually profitable 
trade, if the Americans will do as his English connections are now 
doing and ship direct to Dairen without the goods incurring inter¬ 
mediate handling expenses at Shanghai. Under date of April 17, 
1914, he writes: 

Referring to our interview of February 21: The result of my experience in this 
territory, so essentially different from China proper, is the opinion that the American 
piece goods trade in grey goods requires to be handled somewhat as follows: 

Manufacturers of well-known chops would be well advised to cooperate and sell 
their own products under some such name and style as “The American Manufacturers’ 
Association” through an appointed agent familiar with the ground and personally 
acceptable to the Cliinese dealers. 

With Changchun, the natural distributing center for the whole of Manchuria, as a 
base, the agent should appoint native distributors at each important mart, visit them 
regularly, ascertain the percentage of opposition Japanese goods sold, provide the 
association with such information as would enable them to manufacture to compete 
with it and keep them au fait with all details of business done in the territory. 

Goods to be sold for gold currency only, rubles at and north of Changchun, gold 
yen to the south. It would pay to sell at a slightly cheaper rate in these currencies and 
so avoid the otherwise certain gamble on silver exchange. 

Against the quick delivery obtainable from Japan on forward contracts, it is 
advisable to hold large stocks, practically all business being done in spot cargo. For 
the ordinary middleman located in Manchuria this procedure entails too large a 
capital outlay, hence the recommendation that the goods be sold by the manufacturers 
themselves through their agent, who would be able to estimate the demand and supply 
from stock. Excess stocks would lose nothing in depreciation, interest alone having 
to be allowed for. 

All goods to be shipped to Dairen via Suez. With an agent devoting the whole of 
his energies to the furtherance of this business in all its details, I see no reason why it 
should not only be successful, but consider that, having regard to the elimination of 
middlemen’s profits and the possibility of spot cargo in reasonable quantities, the 
business in American gray goods should be able to regain a great portion of its lost 
ground. 

This merchant (name on file with the Bureau of Foreign and Domes¬ 
tic Commerce) proposes, in other words, that he be appointed agent 
for a group of American mills making some dozen chops popular on 
this market, that goods be shipped to him on consignment under 
suitable guaranty, that he be paid a small fixed salary and a sliding 
scale of commission according to the quantity sold; that the amounts 
of each chop to be shipped be based on his reports as to their popu¬ 
larity; and that the nulls be prepared to ship chops made cheaper by 
Varying tlie construction and sizing to compete with the Japanese 
goods on their own ground, as well as the established chops whose 
reputation it is essential to maintain. In his established trade with 
Manchester he has been enabled to cut out Shanghai dealers and have 
the goods shipped to him c. i. f. Dairen, doing a large indent trade in 
this manner, and his scheme is based on the American manufacturers 
being willing to do the same. 


KIRIN. 

The city of Kirin, 80 miles due east of Changchun, is the capital 
of the Province of Kirin. It is one of the wealthiest cities in Man¬ 
churia, if not the wealthiest, for besides a large local trade it is the 
favorite place of retirement for officials and merchants of the Three 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


269 


Eastern Provinces, in this respect being much on a par with Hangchow 
and Soochow in the South. 

Kirin was opened to foreign commerce on January 14, 1907. The 
population of the city has never been definitely ascertained, but is 
usually estimated at about 125,000. 

IHrin lies on the west bank of the Sungari Kiver, on an elevated 
plain or tableland that is surrounded by mountains. It is a walled 
town, though as^the town lies somewhat above the river no protection 
is needed on that side and the wall extends around three sides only. 
This place was at first called Ch’uan-ch’ang, or ‘‘Shipyard,” at the 
time vrhen the Emperor K’anghi built vessels here for the transport 
of his troops. Small vessels for river traffic are still occasionally 
• built at Kirin, and the river is used for transport to some extent, both 
by boats in the summer and by sledges in the winter. Supplies and 
stock for this winter traffic along the river are kept in pens that are 
built out on the ice under the city bluffs as soon as the river freezes 
over. 

TRANSPORTATION ROUTES. 

Before the advent of the railway in Manchuria all imports were 
brought up from Newchwang (Yingkow) over some 400 miles of a 
tedious and laborious trip by means of the long-distance two-wheeled 
cart drawn by seven ponies. Even after the Russians built their line 
from Harbin to Dalny the place was still 80 miles off the railway, and 
this distance had to be traveled by cart, and goods were to some 
extent still brought all the way up from Yingkow by cart. In 
October, 1912, the Chinese finally completed a railway connecting 
Kirin with Changchun, and one can now make the trip in 4^ hours; 
it is curious to note that as yet only third-class tickets are sold, but 
two of these suffice for second-class accommodation, and three are 
required for first class. Even after the line was built the cart traffic 
competed with a fair measure of success, but during 1913 the Kirin- 
Changchun Railway increased the speed of its freight trains and other¬ 
wise improved its service, so that the amount of goods now hauled by 
cart between Changchun and Kirin is estimated to be less than one- 
fifth of that hauled by the railway, and with better service the railway 
will in time cut out the cart traffic between these two points as com¬ 
pletely as it has for the longer distance from the coast. 

RESOURCES OF DISTRICT. 

In the southern part of Manchuria timber is scarce and has to be 
used very economically, so that its prodigal use at Kirin is one of the 
first things that impresses the eye of the visitor. Not only are great 
rafts of timber brought down the Sungari from the mountains to the 
southwest, but the slopes of the near-by mountains are heavily 
wooded. Compounds and vacant lots at Kirin are fenced in with great 
palisades of heavy timber 10 feet high, many of the streets are paved 
with heavy oak planks running from side to side, and much timber is 
used in building small boats, in making furniture, and in manufactur¬ 
ing the heavy-slabbed Manchu coffins, many of which are exported 
to other parts of the country. There is much valuable hardwood 
in the forests, and as transportation is so costly it has not been 
uncommon to see mahogany logs used for firewood. 


270 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


The mountains are full of wild game, such as wolves, squirrels, 
otters, sables, leopards, tigers, and bears, and there is a large trade 
in skins and furs. Tanning is carried on at this place, and there is 
a large output of the native Chinese shoes. There is also a local 
production of chinaware, hardware, etc. 

CITY OF KIRIN. 

Kirin houses are built mostly of brick, with tiled roofs. Most of 
the streets are narrow and winding, some are macadamized, some laid 
with oak planks, some deep in mud. The station is some H miles 
outside the walled town, and the road leading in has been macadam¬ 
ized; this has led to some of the oak-paved streets being torn up, 
drained, and macadamized. The different industries of the town 
tend to group themselves along certain streets; thus one finds a 
street devoted to the piece-goods firms, another to the skin and fur 
trade, another to shoe makers and sellers, another to the coffin 
industry, another to chinaware, etc. 

Some of the mercantile establishments in Kirin, especially those 
of the piece-goods firms, are not surpassed by any others in Man¬ 
churia. The wholesale piece-goods firms are denoted by tall poles 
along the street, and these usually have gilded representations of a 
dragon, a kangaroo, or some such figure, as well as elaborate carvings 
and banners. Each pole stands in front of a high brick wall, with a 
gate, over which is the firm’s name in gilded letters on stone. Back 
of the wall is usually a large compound for the teams of customers 
from the country, then the main building of brick, with tiled roof, 
and back of this a substantially built warehouse containing the goods. 
The merchants in general do not carry as large stocks of cloth in 
these days of quick transportation facilities as they found necessary 
in the days of the long-distance cart. 

There are only two consulates at Kirin, the Japanese and the Rus¬ 
sian. The only foreign bank is the Yokohama Specie Bank, which 
has an agency in the Japanese consulate, but the Chinese Bank of 
Communications, as well as the Bank of China, are established here. 

FIRMS ENGAGED IN FOREIGN TRADE. 

The Standard Oil Co., Nobels Oil Co. (Russian), and the British- 
American Tobacco Co. have places of business in Kirin, but there 
are no foreign piece-goods firms with the exception of Mitsui Bussan 
Kaisha and the Kirin Trading Co., both Japanese. Most of- the 
Chinese wholesale firms are financed and some of them owned by 
retired capitalists. The native banks lend little money on regular 
notes, but keep their money in circulation in handling shipments. 
Nowhere in Manchuria is the Manchu prominent in trade; in the 
south the business is mostly in the hands of Shantung men and in the 
north in the hands of Chihli men. The Shantung Province men are 
considered the shrewder merchants, and a few of them have estab¬ 
lished themselves in Kirin. Before their'advent it was the policy 
of the Chihli Province merchants never to sell at a loss and to hol'd 
goods for months or even years until they could get out at a profit; 
the Shantung men came in and by sacrificing goods in times of depres- 
-sion to get their money free were able frequently to recoup themselves 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 27l 

and undersell the others, and this led to a change in the policy of 
many dealers. 

The largest Chinese wholesalers handling cloth at Earin are given 
as follows: Yuen Sheng Ching; Hung Sheng Ching; Hur Far Shang; 
Yuen Sheng Ho; Shing Suen How; Tien Ho Chang; Yung Hung 
Mow; Yung Sheng Tien; Gwang Hur Shing; Gee Shing Suen; Her 
Shing How; Ging Hur Hwei; Tien Tai Hung; Swe Sheng Cheng; 
Hung Tai How; JGwang Li How; Shing Suen Pei; E Hur Lung; 
E Hur Hung; Yu Suen Ho; Gin Shing Fu. 

The first three fisted still have agents in Shanghai, but the others 
have mthdrawn their agents there and many of them have also 
withdrawn their agents at Yingkow (Newchwang), owing to their 
bemg able to save this expense by purchasing locally from Mitsui. 
They state that Shanghai demands hard cash; Newchwang gives 
credit, but payments have to be made on the quarterly settling days 
and the value of money fluctuates so sharply at that point that fre- 
q^uently they prefer to pay at the time of purchase rather than run 
tne risk of speculative variations in the value of the money unsettling 
all their calculations. Mitsui, on the other hand, lands the goods in their 
warehouses and gives one to three months’ time, and also usually 
requires only part payment, so that they can push the time along 
in a revolving credit arrangement. It takes a month or more to get 
American goods from Shanghai, while Japanese goods can be obtained 
in a week. Most of the piece-goods firms now handle Japanese 
goods almost entirely, some buying direct and some selling for 
Mitsui on the usual 2 per cent commission. Mitsui has a local office 
here, but does not carry large stocks, goods being ordered from stock 
at Daireii as required. A Japanese firm has recently started here 
under the name of the Earin Trading Co., and frequently underbids 
Mitsui, which is stated to be due to the fact it brings in all its cloths 
through Antung. 

LEADING FIRM HANDLING AMERICAN GOODS. 

The firm of Yuen Sheng Ching, whose address is Pei Tar Kai, 
Kirin, and which is owned and financed by Niew Mur Chow, claims 
to be the largest piece-goods firm in the city and also the one that 
handles the most American cloth. The manager said that his firm 
handled some 700 bales out of a total of probably 1,200 bales of 
American cloth last year, but that in the same year Kirin used over 
6,000 bales of Japanese cloth. He stated that there is undoubtedly 
much wealth in the ground near Kirin and that under the new 
regime many mines will eventually be opened, but that until the 
country people as a whole reached a much higher level of prosperity 
the demand would continue to be for cheap goods. He said that his 
firm had always handled American cloth and that this cloth was so 
satisfactory in quality that he was opposed to handling any Japanese 
sized goods, but asserted that the pressure of the cheaper goods 
was becoming too strong to withstand. Unless the Americans did 
something to combat the inroads of cheap Japanese cloths, he main¬ 
tained, the American trade would dwindle to almost nothing. 

The manager wanted to loiow, as did the larger merchants at 
Changchun, if the Americans could not start a more aggressive 


272 


COTTON GOODS TN JAPAN. 


campaign by cutting out wShanghai with its attendant extra expenses 
and selling through a local agent, either foreign or Chinese. lie 
said that the campaign along this hne started by Mustard & Co. 
(with the backing of Mr. Duke, of the British-American Tobacco Co.) 
might have been successful if they had worked it longer, but that 
they started out with the idea of selling for cash only and did not 
get in with the merchants because they would not cater to the 
estabhshed business customs of the local trade. He said that the 
price difference between the American and the Japanese cloths was 
frequently so gi'eat as to shut off trade in the better goods, and that 
while American cloths need not be brought down to the level of the 
Japanese something should be done to bring the prices somewhat 
closer together. He said if the American price could be reduced a 
live agent could exploit and much increase the American sales. 
His firm would like to get the agency for New York exporters, or 
preferably a group of American mills, handling the cloths most in 
demand here; his firm, he stated, was heavily backed and could 
give any financial guarantees desired. If the American prices were 
somewhat lowered, either by cutting out Shanghai expenses or in 
some other way, and the American manufacturers would ship goods 
on consignment his firm could handle goods in 100-bale lots of the 
most popular brands and would sell on 2 per cent commission and 
remit the proceeds; if the business picked up so as to warrant it 
they would be wilhng to shade their commission somewhat in propor¬ 
tion to the turnover. He stated that practically the only other 
firm handling American goods here now was Yuen Shuen Ho, but 
that others would prefer American goods if they saw their way to 
make a profit on them. 

Of the American goods now sold in Kirin, the most popular are the 
“Horse and Dog,’^ “Three Rabbits,’’ “Three Birds on Drum,” and 
“Cow and Straw” sheetings, and the “FlyingHorse,” “Centaur,” and 
“Four Hawks” drills; about 70 per cent sheeting and 30 per cent drills. 
The American drills in particular were meeting strong competition from 
the Japanese and, in addition, jeans were being largely substituted for 
drills. He said that the most popular Japanese sheetings are the 
“Chinese Citrons” and the “Dragon C,” both of which were selling 
better than the “Nine Dragons,” but that numerous new chops 
were being introduced. The most popular Japanese drill was the 
“Geese,” which the Japanese had been able to sell for the uniforms 
of soldiers and police, and which was lower in price than their “Dragon 
Head,” which was nearer in quality to the American. 

The Chinese wholesalers state that Mitsui sold in Kirin in 1913 
probably 1,750,000 rubles’ worth of cloth, though sales were somewhat 
curtailed by the boycott initiated from Changchun, which lasted for 
some months. 

DESCRIPTION OF LEADING BRANDS. 

The great bulk of the local cloth trade consists of grey sheetings, 
drills, and jeans, with a smaller trade in grey shirtings, white shirt¬ 
ings, Venetians, prints, etc. On the ordinary prints the Russians 
now dominate the market, their prints retailing at 800 to 900 cash 
per Chinese big foot. The most popular Japanese grey shirting is 
the kliye Mill’s “Man and Spear” (the chop showing a Roman soldier 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


273 


with helmet, armor, round shield, short sword, and spear); this is 
36 inches wide, counts about 66 by 66 ends per inch, and weighs 12 
pounds per 40-yard piece. The English grey shirtings are pardy 
38J-inch, 38J yards, and partly 36-inch, 40 yards; they have hitherto 
dominated the market in this line, but are now being displaced by 
Japanese. The most popular white shirting is the English Reiss 
Bros. (Manchester) medium-starched Round Dragon’’ chop (this 
shows a Chinese dragon curled up inside of a circle), which is 35 inches 
wide, counts about 68 by 60 ends per inch, and weighs 12 pounds per 
piece of 41J yards. The most popular Japanese white shirting is 
the Saint and Boys” chop, which is 35| inches wide, counts about 
73 by 64 ends per inch, and weighs 11^ pounds per 40-yard piece. 
Mitsui was selling this at Kirin on February 19, 1914 at 7.70 rubles. 
An inferior ‘^Two Fish” white shirting was being sold at 5.80 rubles. 

FLUCTUATIONS IN PRICES. 

The merchants state that the business and consumption taxes 
amount to 3 per cent on their gross sales. The charge for storage in 
warehouses is usually 20 kopecks per bale, no account being taken of 
the length of time stored. 

On February 19, 1914, the Chinese wholesalers illustrated the 
usual range of distribution prices by saying that they were buying 
the Japanese “Dragon C” sheeting from Mitsui’s local agent at 5.10 
rubles ($2.54) per piece of 40 yards and were selhng wholesale at 
54,300 tiaos ($2,646), while the retailers were selling at 60.000 tiaos 
($2,923). This shows a margin of about 5 per cent for the profit and 
expenses of the wholesaler and about 10 per cent for that of the re¬ 
tailer, but the margins vary, not only according to the goods, but also 
from day to day. The merchants watch each other’s trade closely, 
and a new quotation by any wholesaler is promptly reported by 
runners attached to other firms. Quotations continually fluctuate 
according to the vagaries of supply and demand and temporary 
popularity, and the margins on any cloth chop and its relative price 
may vary widely on different days. 

The wholesale merchants at Kirin buy from Mitsui in gold rubles 
and sell in either tiaos or small coin dollars, the tiaos being most 
largely quoted in both wholesale and retail sales. 

On February 19, 1914, the local exchange rates showed 10.570 
tiaos to the gold ruble, 7.880 tiaos to the dollar of Edrin small coin 
silver, and 13.600 tiaos to the ounce of Sycee hard silver. The values 
of the respective currencies, as well as the exchange rate, as compared 
with the Yingkow transfer tael and other outside monies, fluctuate 
even more rapidly than do the cloth prices, so that in buying and sell¬ 
ing the merchants have to consider the value of the respective 
mediums of exchange as quoted for spot or future sales as much as 
they do the spot and future quotations on the cloths. 

48895°—14-18 



274 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


QUOTATIONS FOR LEADING CHOPS. 

On February 19, 1914, one of the largest merchants gave the whole¬ 
sale prices at which he was selling some of the main chops as follows, 
in tiaos per piece: 



Wholesale selling 
price. 


Tiaos. 

United 

States. 

currency. 

American sheetings: 



Horse and Oog. 

72.000 

$3.508 

Three Rabbits.. 

72.0(X) 

3. 508 

Three Birds on Drum .... 

52.000 

2. 534 

Cow and Straw. 

55. (MX) 

2. 080 

Buck’s Head. 

80.000 

3.898 

Dog’s Head in Circle. 

80.000 

3. 898 

Running Wolf. 

50. (KX) 

2.728 

Man, Horse, and Bow .... 

70.000 

3.703 

American drill: 



Two Rabbits. 

72.000 

3.508 

Flying Horse. 

Man, Horse, and Bow.... 

75.000 

3.054 

70.000 

3.703 

Dragon. 

77.000 

3.752 

Japanese sheeting: 



Chinese Citrons. 

00.000 

2.923 

Dragon C. 

54.300 

2.046 



Wholesale selling 
price. 


Tiaos. 

United 

States 

currency. 

Japanese sheeting—Contd. 



Nine Dragons. 

55.500 

$2,704 

Peaches and Pot. 

55.200 

2.690 

Man and Elephant. 

54.000 

2.631 

Two Dragons. 

54.000 

2.631 

Three Chickens. 

55.000 

2. 680 

Three Sheep. 

-54. 000 

2.660 

Butterfly in Triangle..... 

54.000 

2.631 

Bird (Tokyo). 

53.500 

2.607 

Japanese drill: 



Geese. 

61.000 

2.972 

Phoenix. 

61.000 

2.972 

Litaibai. 

68.000 

3.313 

Dragon Head. 

70.000 

3.411 

Elephant in Star . 

71.000 

3.459 


The wholesalers were buying the ^‘Tea Carrier’’ Indian cotton yam 
No. 10 from Mitsui at 129 rubles per bale of 400 pounds; also Japa¬ 
nese yarns as follows: “Blue Fish” No. 16, 142 rubles; “Standing 
Horse” No. 16, 140 rubles; “Rising Sun” No. 32/3, 160 rubles; “Ris¬ 
ing Sun” No. 42/2, 200 rubles, per bale of 400 pounds. 

Prices on nankeen varied not only according to the width and con¬ 
struction, but according to the maker. The following description of 
four samples gives an idea of the usual types and the prices in pieces 
of 60 Chinese feet (24 yards): 

(1) 17f-inch, 834 ends in warp, about 46 by 46 ends per inch, 11s 
warp and 12s weft approximately, at 25.440 tiaos ($1.24). 

(2) 16f-inch, 674 ends in warp, 40 by 36, 11s warp and 9s weft 
approximately, at 24.000 tiaos ($1,169). 

(3) 16Y-inch, 528 ends warp, 32 by 27, 8s warp and 7s weft approxi¬ 
mately, at 23,520 tiaos ($1,146). 

(4) 161-inch, 490 ends warp, 30 by 28, 8s warp and 9s weft approxi¬ 
mately, at 21.500 tiaos ($1,052). 

In general this coarse Chinese nankeen and the similar Japanese 
nankeen, all hand woven, were selling at relatively higher prices than 
the closer-woven sheetings made on the power loom. The 16 to 18 
inch nankeen retailed at 4^ to 5^ cents United States currency per 
yard, as compared with 7i to 11 cents for the 36-inch Japanese and 
American sheeting. 


MANCHURIAN COTTON MILLS. 

Manchuria affords an important market for large quantities of 
foreign cotton manufactures and also for hand-woven nankeen 
from the Yangtze Valley section of China. Only a very small pro- 








































COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


275 


portion of its requirements in this line have been made at home, and 
these only by hand. Recently, however, some of the more intelligent 
natives have begun to inquire why cotton goods should not be mad^e 
in Manchuria itself with the assistance of the cheap local labor. Three 
small establishments have been started with power looms, and it is 
possible that in time cotton manufacturing may become an industry 
of some importance. The output from this source is now too small 
to have any effect on the market, but it is worth noting as an 
indication of what it may become in the future. 

A sinall amount of local cotton, short stapled and harsh, is now 
raised in Manchuria. A trifle of this is used locally by being hand 
spun into yarn for the hand looms and a larger portion is used for 
wadding, but the bulk is exported, mainly to Japan. As yet none 
is spun on machinery in the country, and the yarn for the three small- 
weave sheds, as well as the great bulk of the yarn used by the hand- 
loom weavers, is imported. The coarsest counts, under 16s, are mainly 
from India, while from 16s upward they are mainly from Japan. 
The principal number used in Manchuria is 16s single. 

On January 1, 1914, the three weave sheds in Manchuria were as 
follows: Mukden, 30 looms on sheeting; Liaoyang, 16 looms on 
sheeting, and 8 on nankeen; Newchwang, 20 looms on nankeen. 
This shows a total of 74 power looms now in operation in Manchuria. 
The mill at Newchwang operates 36 hand looms in a shed near its 20 
narrow power looms. A few details as to these mills follow. 

MUKDEN MILL. 

The largest cotton mill in Manchuria is located at Mukden and 
contains 30 power looms, made in Japan and stamped 1910,” which 
is the year in which the mill started. The mill is located just inside 
the north gate and inside of a high-walled compound. The weave shed 
is of brick, with glass windows, wood floor, and wood columns and 
rafters. The motive power consists of a small boiler and a 15-horse¬ 
power engine of Japanese make. 

The yarn is bought locally from Japanese dealers and comes in 
10-pound bundles put up in 400-pound bales. The warp skeins are 
dipped in sizing and then dried on a framework in the yard. The 
weft is put on swifts and wound by machinery on 6-inch bobbins, 
while the warp, after sizing, is put on swifts and wound on spools. 
The spools are put cn a V-shaped creel and wound on loom beams. 
After weaving the cloth is folded by hand and sold in the loom 
condition without calendering. 

About 50 operatives are employed. Weavers run two looms 
each. The speed was stated by the manager as 180 picks per minute, 
but is rather irregular. The mill is lighted with oil lamps and 
operates from 6.30 a. m. to 7 p. m., with a 30-minute stop for lunch; 
this gives an effective working day of 12 hours. There is no night 
work, but the only stops are on the 1st and 15th of the month. Some 
of the weavers are paid by the day, but the more skilled ones by the 
40-yard cut—15 cents small coin (equal at the exchange rate of 
February 26, 1914, to about 5.61 cents United States currency) per 
cut. The best weavers make as high as 15 cents a day. 

This mill makes oi^e class of sheeting, which is nonainally 36 
inches wide, with 1,700 ends total in the warp. The warp is 14s and 


276 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


the weft 16s, and the cloth is woven with 40 picks per inch. The 
manager gave the weight as 9 catties 4 ounces, which, as the Mukden 
catty is only 1.225 pounds, would make it about 3i yards per pound, 
but this varies according to the regularity obtained from the rough 
method of hand sizing in the skein. The chop is the ^‘Two Flags^’ 
and consists of two five-barred flags of the Chinese Republic, and 
underneath this in English lettering is ^^Manufactured by Kwan^ 
Yie Association’’ ^^40 yds.” ^^dashimenli Moukden.” Dashimenli 
means inside the North Gate. 

This mill sold over 10,000 pieces of sheeting in 1913. The owners 
state that they can sell all of their production locally as fast as they 
make it, except in the fifth month (June) and sometimes in December, 
when they have to carry small stocks for a while. Local cotton is 
unfit for counts above 16s, so this mill, as the others, uses only im- 
p^orted yarn, which is mostly Japanese. No. 16 cotton yarn in 
February, 1914, was being bought by this mill from local Japanese 
dealers at $140 small coin per 400-pound bale. The cloth was being 
sold locally at $6.30 small coin per 40-yard cut, as against $6.70 smafl 
coin for the Japanese '^Nine Dragons.” The latter was given as 
weighing 11 catties a cut, but the manager stated that after scouring 
it weighed only about 9 catties. 

The manager stated that the enterprise is a profitable one and that 
as soon as they can get their help better trained they expect to expand. 
He also stated that the method of sizing in the skein by hand gave 
such irregular results that he was trying to find a simple and cheap 
machine that would permit sizing and drying in the warp by machin¬ 
ery. Owing to the method of sizing used the cloth is somewhat 
rougher than Japanese cloth, and the weaving is also infeiior to that 
from the larger Japanese mills, where the help is more skilled. 

LIAOYANG MILL. 

The Liaoyang mill is owned by the Kwang Yei Association that 
operates the Mukden mill. It contains a total of 24 power looms of 
Japanese make, of which 8 are narrow looms for nankeens and 16 
wider looms for sheeting. The sheeting is similar to that made at 
Mukden, but has a stork as the chop. 

The production of this mill during 1913 was stated as 6,500 cuts of 
36-inch sheeting, 40 yards each; and 4,500 pieces of nankeen about 
17 inches wide and about 30 Chinese big feet long. 

NEWCHWANG MILL. 

The Newchwang miU contains 20 power looms for weaving the 
narrow nankeen and 36 hand looms for making 36-inch sheeting. The 
power looms and the hand looms are in separate buildings. 

The building for the power looms is of brick lined inside with mud, 
the floor is of packed mud, the posts and rafters are round poles, and 
the rafters are covered with matting, over which are rough tiles; the 
windows are of oiled paper. The motive power is furnished by a 
Binall boiler of native manufacture and a small engine from Japan. 
The budding is lighted by suspended oil lamps. 

Yarn is bought from local Japanese dealers and roughly sized and 
dried in the skein by hand. From the skein the warp yarn is wound 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


277 


on spools and the weft yarn on bobbins by machinery. The spools 
are placed in a V-shaped creel and the ends rim together through a 
reed onto a beam and then drawn in and sent to the loom. Each 
weaver operates two looms at a speed of about 170 picks per minute. 
The output is entirely narrow nankeen, about ITJ inches wide, which 
is sold locally in competition with similar nankeen made on hand 
looms in Japan and central China. 

The building for the hand looms is some 20 feet wide by about 
60 feet long and has a small office and baling room partitioned off 
at one end. The looms rest on a packed mud floor and the building 
is constructed like the one for power looms. The yarn is bought 
from local Japanese dealers and roughly sized and dried in the 
skein by hand. Young apprentice boys squatting on a mud embank¬ 
ment that extends along one side of the main room of the mill wind 
the weft skeins from a rough swift or ryce onto a horizontal spindle. 
The boy turns the swift by means of a handle, and a connecting 
cord rotates the spindle and winds up the yarn. The warp yarn 
is in the same manner wound from the skein onto double-headed 
bobbins and these are stuck on spikes on a sloping creel. The ends 
from this creel are drawn together through a reed about a foot wide 
and then wound together in a narrower space on a big horizontal 
'^miirC This mill is some 5 feet in diameter and is rotated by hand. 
The mill is rotated a certain number of times to get a fixed length 
of warp, when the warp is cut and tied; another section of the warp 
is then run on beside the first and is cut when the same length has 
been reached; this operation is continued until the mill contains the 
full number of ends desired in the warp. A loom beam is then set in 
a support on the other side of the mill, all of the ends tied to this 
and the beam rotated until all of the sections have been run on to 
it together in one broad sheet. This beam is then drawn in and 
sent to the loom. 

The looms are constructed almost entirely of wood. They have 
overhung lay and use double harness made of twine with metal 
eyelets for the warp threads. The weaver operates the treadles 
that move the harness by means of his feet and with his left hand 
pulls the lay back and forth while with his right he pulls the cord 
that jerks the pickers alternately and causes the shuttle to be thrown 
back and forth through the web. A hinged stick is used to keep 
the cloth out to width and is moved up nearer the fell every few 
minutes when the cloth woven is wound up on the sand roller. I 
timed some of the looms and found them making 110 to 120 picks 
when in full operation. The mill usually starts at 5 oYlock and 
runs as late as the light permits; in the summer the more experienced 
weavers get off a 40-yard cut a day. 

Last year this mill, starting with 14 looms and ending with 36, 
made altogether about 8,000 pieces of sheeting and this year expects 
to turn out about 10,000. The owner said that his sheeting usually 
sold on the local market at 1.50 taels (Newchwang) per piece below 
the price of the American Three Rabbits. 

The miU makes one quality of sheeting. The mill first stamped 
its cloth as “Buck’s Head Sheeting” in imitation of the well-known 
American chop, but now uses a trade-mark showing three spotted 
horses (known as the “Three Ponies” chop) and underneath this in 


278 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


English lettering ‘^Chin Ho Mills/’ with ‘‘40” in a circle at the bottom. 
This cloth is about 35 inches wide and has 1,610 ends total in the 
warp. The picks are, of course, very variable but^ average about 50 
per inch. The yarns used are 14s warp and 16s weft. The system of 
skein sizing is very irregular so that the weight of the finished cloth 
varies but seems to average about SJ yards to the pound. 

The number of operatives varies but is usually about 60, of whom 
36 are weavers with one loom apiece. Some of the more important 
operatives on contract work make as high as 40 cents small coin a 
day. The weavers are paid 30 cents small coin (at exchange rate 
of February 10, 1914, this is equal to about 11^ cents United States 
currency), per piece, and average about 9 cents American a day. 
The boy apprentices for reeling from the skein to the bobbin are 
paid $10 small coin (say, $3.84 United States currency) a year, but 
m addition, the owner furnishes them a sleeping place and their 
“chow” (food), the owner saying that chow costs him about 
$36 small coin each a year. These boys are very young, some seem¬ 
ingly not much over 8 years of age, and they work under 3 years’ 
contract. 


LIST OF SAMPLES. 


Sample Dragons” (in Japanese, “Kiu Riii”) grey sheeting, made by 

Kanegafuchi Boseki; sold as 36-inch sheeting, hut usually measures about 36f inche.a 
in width; 1,644 ends total in warp; woven with 44 ends of 13s and 44 picks of 16s per 
square inch; weighs 13J pounds per 40-yard cut. Wholesale price in Osaka January 
6, 1914, for export, free of textile consumption tax, 4.76 yen per piece, or 5.93 cents 
per yard; wholesale price to home trade, with textile consumption tax paid, 5.125 yen 
per piece, or 6.38 cents per yard. This is the leading cloth exported from Japan, though 
it is sold under several other chops besides that of the Nine Dragons. 

Sample 2. —“Two Dragons” (in Japanese, “So Riu”) grey sheeting, made by 
Kanegafuchi Boseki, is Nine Dragons sheeting under another chop. Wholesale price 
in Osaka January 6,1914, for export, free of textile consumption tax, 4.70 yen per piece, 
or 5.85 cents per yard; wholesale price to home trade, with textile consumption tax 
paid, 5 yen per piece, or 6.23 cents per yard. 

Sample 3. —“Butterfly in Triangle” (in Japanese, “Sankaku Cho”) grey sheeting, 
made by Kanegafuchi Boseki, is Nine Dragons sheeting under another chop. Whole¬ 
sale price in Osaka January 6, 1914, for export, free of textile consumption tax, 4.70 
yen per piece, or 5.85 cents per yard; wholesale price to home trade, with textile con¬ 
sumption tax paid, 5.05 yen per piece, or 6.29 cents per yard. 

Sample 4- —“Man and Elephant” grey sheeting, made by Kanegufuchi Boseki, is 
Nine Dragons sheeting under another chop. On February 24, 1914, the local agency of 
Mitsui was selling to Chinese wholesalers at Mukden at 5.05 yen per piece, or 6.29 cents 
per yard. 

Sample 5. —“Three Sheep” grey sheeting, made by Kanegafuchi Boseki, is Nine 
Dragons sheeting under another chop. On February 26, 1914, the local agency of 
Mitsui was selling to Chinese wholesalers at Mukden at 5.20 yen per piece, or 6.48 cents 
per yard. 

Sampled. —‘‘ Dragon C ” (in Japanese, ‘‘ Riu C ”) grey sheeting, made by Miye Boseki; 
36 inches wide; 44 by 44 construction; 13^ pounds per 40-yard cut. Wholesale price 
in Osaka January 6, 1914, for export, free of textile consumption tax, 4.725 yen per 
piece, or 5.88 cents per yard; wholesale price to home trade, with textile consumption 
tax paid, 5.075 yen per piece, or 6.32 cents per yard. This cloth is the rival of the Nine 
Dragons as the leading Japanese sheeting sold in Manchuria. 

Sample 7. —“Rooster in Circle” (in Japanese, “Maru Tori”) grey sheeting, made by 
Osaka Boseki; 36 inches wide; 44 by 42 construction; 14 pounds per 40-yard cut. 
Wholesale price in Osaka January 6, 1914, for export, free of textile consumption tax, 
4.725 yen per piece, or 5.88 cents per yard; wholesale price to home trade, with textile 
consumption tax paid, 5.075 yen per piece, or 6.32 cents per yard. Mainly exported to 
North China; very small sale in Manchuria. 

Samples. —“Dragon Head” (in Japanese, “Riu”) drill, made by Miye Boseki; 
actually about 29f inches wide; 72 by 48 construction; 14 pounds per 40-yard cut. 
Wholesale price in Osaka January 6, 1914, for export, free of textile consumption tax, 
5.80 yen per piece^ or 7.22 cents per yard; wholesale price to home trade, with textile 
consumption tax paid, 6.18 yen per piece, or 7.7 cents per yard. This is the best drill 
made in Japan, and has a large export to various parts of China, including Manchuria. 

Sampled. —“Bats” (in Japanese, “Komori”) drill, made by Osaka Boseki; 30J 
inches wide; 72 by 46 construction; 13|^ pounds per 40-yard cut. Wholesale price in 
Osaka January 6, 1914, for export, free of textile consumption tax, 5.60 yen per piece, 
or 6.97 cents per yard; wholesale price to home trade, with textile consumption tax 
paid, 5.97 yen per piece, or 7.43 cents per yard. 

Sample 10. —“Ritaihaku” (name of saint) drill, made by Osaka Boseki; 30 inches 
wide; 70 by 48 construction; 13^ pounds per 40-yard cut. Wholesale price in Osaka 
January 6, 1914, for export, free of textile consumption tax, 5.60 yen per piece, or 6.97 
cents per yard; wholesale price to home trade, with textile consumption tax paid, 
5.97 yen per pi^ce, or 7.43 cents per yard. 

Sample 11. —“Elephant” (in Japanese, “Zo”) didll, made by Osaka Boseki; actually 
about 29i inches wide; 60 by 40 construction; 13 J pounds per 40-yard cut. Wholesale 
price in Osaka January 6, 1914, for export, free of textile consumption tax, 5.05 yen 

279 


280 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


per piece, or 6.29 cents per yard; wholesale price to home trade, with textile con¬ 
sumption tax paid, 5.40 yen per piece, or 6.72 cents per yard. Sold to North China. 

Sample 12.- —“Pair of Geese” (m Japanese, “Gacho”) drill, made by Miye Boseki; 

30 inches wide; 60 by 40 construction; *13J pounds per 40-yard cut. Wholesale price 
in Osaka January 6, 1914, for export, free of textile consumption tax, 5 yen per piece, 
or 6.23 cents per yard; wholesale price to home trade, with textile consumption tax 
paid, 5.30 yen per piece, or 6.6 cents per yard. This drill has a very large export to 
various parts of China, including Manchuria. 

Sample 13. —“Phoenix” (in Japanese, “Hoo”) drill, made by Fuji Gas mill; actually 
about 30^ inches wide; 60 by 42 construction; 13 J pounds per 40-yard cut. Wholesale 
price in Osaka January 6, 1914, for export, free of textile consumption tax, 5.075 yen 
per piece, or 6.32 cents per yard; wholesale price to home trade, with textile con¬ 
sumption tax paid, 5.40 yen per piece, or 6.72 cents per yard. 

Sample 14. —“Shibakuki” (name of Japanese plant) drill, made by Fuji Gas mill; is 
second quality of Hoo. Wholsale price in Osaka January 6, 1914, for export, free of 
textile consumption tax, 4.95 yen per piece, or 6.16 cents per yard; wholesale price to 
home trade, with textile consumption tax paid, 5.30 yen per piece, or 6.6 cents per 
yard. 

Sample 15. —“Lion” (in Japanese, “Shishi”) drill, made by Osaka Boseki; actually 
about 29f inches wide; 60 by 36 construction; 12^pounds per 40-yard cut. Wholesale 
price in Osaka January 6, 1914, for export, free of textile consumption tax, 4.90 yen 
per piece, or 6.10 cents per yard; wholesale price to home trade, with textile con¬ 
sumption tax paid, 5.25 yen per piece, or 6.53 cents per yard. 

Sample 16. —“Elephant in Star” drill, made by Temma Orimono; actually 29^ 
inches wide; 70 by 48 construction; 13J pounds per 40-yard cut. At Changchun 
February 21, 1914, the local agency of Mitsui was selling to the Chinese wholesalers 
at 6.40 rubles per piece, or 8.24 cents per yard. 

Sample 17. —“Stag’s Head” jean, bearing name of Alfred Dent & Co. of Shanghai; 
made by Richard Haworth & Co., Manchester; 29 inches wide; 2,746 ends total in 
warp; woven 93 by 64; 8| pounds per 30 yards. At Newchwang February 15, 1914, 
the Chinese wholesalers were selling at 5.20 transfer taels per piece, or 8.33 cents per 
yard. 

Sample 18. —“Three Stags’ Heads” jean, made by Richard Haworth & Co., Man¬ 
chester, in their Throstle Nest Mills; 29^ inches wide, 2,746 ends per inch; woven 
93 by 64; 8^ pounds per 30-yard cut. At Newchwang February 15,1914, the Chinese 
wholesalers were selling at 5.80 transfer taels per piece, or 9.27 cents per yard. 

Sample 19. —“World, John Bull, Chinaman” jean, made by Richard Haworth & 
Co., Manchester, in their Throstle Nest Mills; 29^ inches wide; 2,746 ends total in 
warp; woven 93 by 64; about 11^ pounds per 40-yard cut. In Newchwang February 
15, 1914, the Chinese wholesalers were selling at 7.60 transfer taels per piece, or 9.12 
cents per yard. 

Sample 20. —“Beaver” jean, bearing name of Ward, Probst & Co., Shanghai; of 
English manufacture; about 29 inches wide; 2,560 ends total in warp; woven 88 by 60; 
8^ pounds per 30 yards. At Mukden February 26, 1914, the Chinese wholesalers 
were selling at 6.70 small coin dollars per piece, or 8.35 cents per yard. 

Sample 21. —“Deer and Bat” jean, made by Kanegafuchi Boseki; 29^ inches wide; 
2,782 ends total in warp; woven 93 by 64; 8^ pounds per 30-yard cut. On February 
24, 1914, Mitsui quoted price c. i. f. Dairen (without customs duty) as 4.40 yen per 
piece, or 7.3 cents per yard. Finest jeans made in Japan. 

Sample 22. —“Elephants and Pagoda” jean, made by Temma Orimono; actually 
about 29| inches wide; 93 by 60 construction; 30-yard cuts. At Changchun February 
21, 1914, the local agency of Mitsui was selling to Chinese wholesalers at 5.15 rubles 
per piece, or 8.84 cents per yard. 

Sample 23. —“Peony” (in Japanese, “Botan”) T cloth, made by Miye Boseki; 31 
inches wide; 1,904 ends total in warp; woven 58 by 52; 6 pounds per 24-yard cut. 
Wholesale price in Osaka January 6, 1914, for export, free of textile consumption 
tax, 2.785 yen per piece, or 5.78 cents per yard; wholesale price to home trade, with 
textile consumption tax paid, 2.99 yen per piece, or 6.2 cents per yard. 

Sample 24. —‘ ‘Gold Fish’ ’ (in Japanese, ‘ ‘Kin Gio’ ’) T cloth, made by Osaka Boseki; 

31 inches wide; 1,584 ends total in warp; woven 48 by 44; 5 pounds per 24-yard cut. 
Wholesale price in Osaka January 6, 1914, for export, free of textile consumption 
tax, 2.36 yen per piece, or 4.9 cents per yard; wholesale price to home trade, with 
textile consumption tax paid, 2.50 yen per piece, or 5.19 cents per yard. 

Sample 25. —“Sparrows” (in Japanese, “Tsubame”) print cloth, made by Miye 
Boseki; 31 inches wide; woven 60 by 60; 16^ pounds per 120-yard cut. Wholesale 
price in Osaka January 6, 1914, to home trade, with textile consumption tax paid, 
10.45 yen per piece, or 4.34 cents per yard. 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


281 


Sample 26. —“Eggplant” (in Japanese, “Nasii”) print cloth, made by Amagasaki 
Boseki; actually 30J inches wide; 60 by 58 construction; 16^ pounds per 120-yard cut. 
W holesale price in Osaka January 6, 1914, to home trade, with textile consumption 
tax paid, 10.45 yen per piece, or 4.34 cents per yard. 

Sample 27. —“Wagtail” (in Japanese, “Sekirei”) gray shirting, made by Kanega- 
fuchi Boseki; 44/45 inches wide; woven with 88 ends of 57s warp and 80 picks of 46s 
weft per square inch; 9 pounds per 46-yard cut. Wholesale price in Osaka January 
6, 1914, to home trade, with textile consumption tax paid, 5.65 yen per piece, or 6.12 
cents per yard. 

Sample 28. —Gassed “Sekirei” grey shirting, made by Kanegafuchi Boseki; is same 
make as sample No. 27, but of gassed yarns, which reduces weight to 8 pounds per 
46-yard cut. Wholesale price in Osaka January 6, 1914, to home trade, with textile 
consumption tax paid, 8.05 yen per piece, or 8.73 cents per yard. This is one of the 
finest shirtings made in Japan. 

AS'ampZt; £9.—-“Eggplant” (in Japanese, “Nasu”) grey shirting, made by Amagasaki 
Boseki; 44/45 inches wide; woven with 68 ends of 36s warp and 72 picks of 45s weft 
per square inch; 9 pounds per 46-yard cut. Wholesale price in Osaka January 6, 1914, 
to home trade, with textile consumption tax paid, 7.50 yen per piece, or 8.12 cents 
per yard. This is very popiilaf and commands the highest price of its kind. 

Sample 50.—“Woman Diver” (in Japanese, “Kai Jo”) grey shirting, made by 
Amagasaki Boseki; 44/45 inches wide; 72 by 72 construction; 9 pounds per 46-yard 
cut. Wholesale price in Osaka January 6, 1914, to home trade, with textile consump¬ 
tion tax paid, 5.63 yen per piece, or 6.1 cents per yard. 

Sample 31. —“Weaving Godde.ss” (in Japanese, “Ori Hime”) grey shirting, made 
by Osaka Boseki, 44/45 inches wide; 58 by 58 construction; 9^ pounds per 46-yard 
cut. Wholesale price in Osaka January 6, 1914, to home trade, with textile consump¬ 
tion tax paid, 5.45 yen per piece, or 5.9 cents per yard. 

Sample 32. —“Peony” (in Japanese, “Botan”) grey shirting, made by Miye Boseki; 
44/45 inches wide; 60 by 54 construction; 9^ pounds per 46-yard cut. Wholesale price 
in Osaka January 6, 1914, to home trade, with textile consumption tax paid, 5.425 
yen per piece, or 5.87 cents per yard. 

Sample 33. —“Hawk” (in Japanese, “Taka”) grey shirting, made by Osaka Boseki; 
44/45 inches wide; 58 by 58 construction; 8.7 pounds per 45-yard cut. Wholesale 
price in Osaka January 6, 1914, to home trade, with textile consumption tax paid, 
4.78 yen per piece, or 5.29 cents per yard. 

Sample 34- —“Red Geese” (in Japanese, “Aka Gacho”) grey shirting, made by 
Miye Boseki; 44/45 inches wide; 54 by 54 construction; 8^ pounds per 45-yard cut. 
Wholesale price in Osaka January 6, 1914, to home trade, with textile consumption 
tax paid, 4.70 yen per piece, or 5.2 cents per yard. 

Sample 35. —“Cow” grey sheeting, made by Rung Yik Mills, Shanghai, 36 inches 
wide; 1,684 ends total in warp; 46 by 46 construction; 15 pounds per 40-yard cut. 
At Changchun, February 21, 1914, the Chinese wholesalers were paying 123 roubles 
per bale, or 7.92 cents a yard. 

Sample 36. —“Ram’s Head” grey sheeting, made by Kung Yik Mills, Shanghai; 
35^ inches wide; 1,676 ends total in warp; 46 by 46 construction; 14^ pounds per 
40-yard cut. At Changchun, February 21, 1914, the Chinese wholesalers were paying 
116 roubles per bale, or 7.47 cents a yard. 

Sample 37. —“Saddled Horse in Circle” grey sheeting, made by Kung Yik Mills, 
Shanghai; 36 inches wide; 1,676 ends total in warp; 46 by 46 construction; 13| 
pounds per 40-yard cut. At Changchun, February 21, 1914, the Chinese wholesalers 
were paying 108 rubles per bale, or 6.95 cents per yard. 

Sample 38. —“Griffin” (or “Flying Dragon”) grey sheeting, made by Kung Yik 
Mills, Shanghai; 36 inches wide; 1,676 ends total in warp; 46 by 46 construction; 
10 pounds per 40-yard cut. At Changchun, February 21, 1914, the Chinese whole¬ 
salers were paying 95 rubles per bale, or 6.12 cents a yard. 

Sample 39. —“Two Flags” grey sheeting, made on power looms at local mill of 
Kwang Yei Association at Mukden, Manchuria. About 36^ inches wide; 1,700 
ends total in warp; woven with 46 ends of Ids warp and 40 picks of 16s weft; weighs, 
approximately 3| yards per pound. On February 26, 1914, this mill was selling at 
6.30 small coin dollars per piece, or 5.89 cents a yard. 

Sample 40. —“Three Ponies” grey sheeting, made on hand looms at local Chin 
Ho mills at Newchwang, Manchuria; about 35 inches wide; 1,610 ends total in warp; 
woven ^with 46 ends of 14s warp and approximately 50 mcks of 16s weft per square 
inch; weighs approximately 3^ yards per pound. On February 15, 1914, this mill 
was selling at 5.20 transfer taels p^r piece, or 6.25 cents per yard. 

Sample 41. —Chinese hand-woven nankeen, in grey; 17| inches wide; 834 ends 
total in warp; 46 by 46 construction; warp about 11s and weft about 128. At Kirin, 


282 


COTTON GOODS IN JAPAN. 


Manchuria, on February 19, 1914, retailed at 25.440 tiaos per piece of 60 Chinese 
feet, or 5.16 cents per yard. 

Sample 4^. —Chinese hand-woven nankeen, in grey; 16J inches wide; 674 ends 
total in warp; 40 by 36 construction; warp about 11s and weft about 9s. At Kirin, 
Manchuria, on February 19, 1914, retailed at 24.000 tiaos per piece of 60 Chinese 
feet, or 4.87 cents per yard. 

Sample 4S. —Chinese hand-woven nankeen, in grey, 16^ inches wide; 528 ends 
total in warp; 32 by 27 construction; warp about 8s and weft about 78. At Kirin, 
Manchuria, on February 19, 1914, retailed at 23.520 tiaos per piece of 60 Chinese feet, 
or 4.77 cents a yard. 

Sample 44- —Chinese hand-woven nankeen, in grey; 16^ inches wide; 490 ends 
total in warp; 30 by 28 construction; warp about 8s and weft about 9s. At Kirin, 
Manchuria, on February 19, 1914, retailed at 21.600 tiaos per piece of 60 Chinese feet, 
or 4.39 cents per yard. 

Sample45. —Japanese hand-woven nankeen (in Japanese, ‘ ‘shiromomen’ ’), bleached; 
9 sun, or 13.43 inches, wide; 42 by 40 construction. In January, 1914, a piece of 
25-8haku length (cloth shaku of 14|^ inches) retailed at 68 sen, or 33.86 cents, which 
is 3.27 cents per yard, in Kobe. 

Sample 46. —Japanese hand-woven nankeen, bleached, 8 sun, or 11.93 inches, 
wide; 432 ends total in warp; 36 by 32 construction. In January, 1914, a piece of 
25 shaku retailed at 34 sen, which is 1.63 cents per yard, in Kobe. 

Sample 47. —Light honeycomb-woven bedspread, white, with blue stripes near 
ends and borders; made by Wakayama Boseki; has a good sale in Manchuria; 45 
inches wide by 70 inches long. 

Sa7riple 48. —Cloth socks worn by men in Japan; dyed blue; 34 sen, or 16.93 cents, 
per pair at retail in Kobe. These socks are the only foot covering used by Japanese 
in the house but are worn with clogs when out of doors. 

Sample 49. —Cloth socks worn by women in Japan; white; 20 sen, or 9.96 cents 
per pair at retail in Kobe. 


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